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Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics registered an impressive 147-129 win over the Miami Heat on Wednesday, April 1. Both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown put on a show.
Tatum ended the game with a triple-double of 25 points, 11 assists and 18 rebounds, while Brown dropped 43 points on 17-of-29 shooting. The win was another statement game from a Boston roster that is emerging as the heavy favorite in the Eastern Conference.
When speaking to the media after the game, Heat big man Bam Adebayo discussed Tatum’s performance, admitting that Boston’s superstar forward isn’t back to full game shape yet.
“I can tell he’s still out of shape,” Adebayo said. “…We’ve known each other since we were like 12. You see what he’s gone through, and then obviously checking up on him through the rehab phase, and you know the down days that he’s had. You’re proud of him for pushing to put himself out there this season. Still trying to find his way, still trying to impact winning. You tip your hat off to somebody who’s been through that and still trying to play.”
If Tatum is registering triple-doubles while still being out of game shape, the NBA better watch out. He’s improving with every outing, and already looks like the All-NBA talent we became accustomed to seeing before he tore his Achilles.
Adebayo knows Tatum better than most. So, if he believes Tatum still has another gear to find in terms of conditioning, then that’s a scary proposition for any team that faces Boston once the postseason gets underway.
Celtics Should Get Nikola Vucevic Back Soon
The scary part about Boston’s recent performances is that they’re being handled business while short-handed at the center position. Nikola Vucevic, who joined the franchise at the Feb. 5 trade deadline, has missed the past 13 games due to injury.
When speaking with the media ahead of Boston’s win over Miami, Tatum shared his hope that the veteran big man will be back in the rotation in the near future. He noted that Vucevic has been “working his a– off” behind the scenes.
“Vooch? He’s been working his a– off,” Tatum said. “He’ll be back soon, I hope.”
Vucevic suited up for 12 games following his move to Boston before ultimately getting injured. In those outings, he was averaging 10.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists, knocking down 49.3% of his two-point attempts and 35.1% of his looks from deep.
Celtics Face The Milwaukee Bucks Next
Boston’s road trip will continue on Friday, April 3, when they face off against the 30-46 Milwaukee Bucks. Boston is 2-1 against Doc Rivers’ team this season, with its only loss coming on December 11, in what was a 116-101 ending.
The Boston Celtics have improved significantly since their December loss, with Jayson Tatum back in the rotation and playing at a near-superstar level.
As such, Celtics fans will be confident of adding another win to their season tally, especially as the Bucks have struggled for consistency all season. Nevertheless, they must stay locked in if they want to continue creating some breathing room between themselves and the New York Knicks, who are still chasing the second seed.
Adam Taylor is a basketball reporter covering the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Miami Heat for Heavy. He holds bylines for CelticsBlog, USA Today and Yardbarker. Adam also covers the WWE and AEW. He has a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Open University. More about Adam Taylor
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