Jayson Tatum brings back memories of LeBron James with epic Game 6 performance on the road against Bucks

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2022/05/jayson-tatum-brings-back-memories-of-lebron-james-with-epic-game-6-performance-on-the-road-against-bucks.html



Jayson Tatum brings back memories of LeBron James with epic Game 6 performance on the road against Bucks


Updated: May. 13, 2022, 11:59 p.m. | Published: May. 13, 2022, 11:27 p.m.



Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum tries to get past Milwaukee Bucks' Wesley Matthews during the second half of Game 4 of an NBA basketball Eastern Conference semifinals playoff series Monday, May 9, 2022, in Milwaukee. The Celtics won 116-108 to tie the series 2-2. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)AP


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



MILWAUKEE — There are few things tougher in the NBA than winning an elimination game on the road during a playoff series. Jayson Tatum helped the Celtics do just that on Friday night, outdueling Giannis Antetokounmpo with 46 points to carry Boston to a 108-95 victory.

“Obviously hit some big ones throughout the game,” Ime Udoka said. “He did that and made the right play as well. So, drew a crowd, got off the ball, didn’t play in a crowd a ton, limited our turnovers only to eight, and then got favorable matchups and knocked them down, whether going to the basket or rising up for a shot. So, huge night by him, other guys as well, but definitely needed.”


The victory was Tatum’s first win in a road elimination game during his career and was the first for the franchise since 2013. It also brought back memories of one of the best performances at TD Garden in postseason history.

LeBron James and the Miami Heat dropped a home Game 5 to the Celtics in 2012 in heartbreaking fashion after allowing a late fourth-quarter rally by Boston. James bounced back with a dominant Game 6 in Boston, helping the Heat cruise to a double-digit win with 45 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists and a plus-22 in the victory.

Ten years later, Tatum produced a similar stat line in an almost identical situation. He finished with 46 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists and was a +21 in Boston’s 13-point win while playing 43 minutes.

The Heat eventually won Game 7 at home and James led the Heat to an NBA championship in 2012 in five games against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Celtics and Tatum still have a long way to go to match what James and the Heat did that postseason but they took a big step in that direction on Friday night with what could become the signature performance of Tatum’s career.

“It’s why he gets paid the big bucks,” Marcus Smart said. “That’s it right there, for moments like that. I was telling him the whole game, ‘Just be you, man,’ and he was. That’s what he gets paid to do. That’s what we lean on him to do. We did our jobs in the first half to give him a break while they were doing a good job on him. We stood up and stepped up and took care for him and then he came in and do what he did, who he is, and took that game over in the fourth and brought us all home.”


Bob


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