Celtics’ Jayson Tatum secures NBA first with ridiculous playoff stat

Jayson Tatum, Celtics, Pacers, Celtics Pacers, Eastern Conference Finals, Jayson Tatum looking hyped, Celtics arena in the background

Jayson Tatum was unstoppable on Saturday night.

Jayson Tatum certainly hasn’t been perfect in the playoffs, but he was close to it on Saturday night for the Boston Celtics. Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Celtics and the Indiana Pacers was a thriller, and it was one that Pacers fans are going to lose sleep over. Indiana led by as many as 18 points in the second half and they led by eight with about two and half minutes to play. Boston ended up winning 114-111, and Tatum is a big reason why they got the win.

The Celtics now have a commanding 3-0 series lead despite the Pacers being in golden position to win two of the threes games in this series. Boston is now one game away from the NBA Finals, and Jayson Tatum is a big reason why they are in this position. He finished with 36 points in game three, which led all scorers, and he pulled off a feat that has never been done before in the NBA.

“Jayson Tatum is the 1st player in NBA history with at least 36 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists while committing 0 turnovers in a playoff game,” Taylor Snow said in a tweet.

Tatum was unstoppable on Saturday night. That is the type of game that Celtics fans have been waiting for, and if Tatum continues to play like that, Boston is going to be tough for anybody to beat.

Jayson Tatum and the Celtics are one win away from the NBA Finals

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) during the fourth quarter of game three of the eastern conference finals in the 2024 NBA playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.© Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
It looked like the Pacers were going to win Game 1 when they had the ball up three with under 10 seconds left. It looked like the Pacers were going to win game three when they had an eight point lead with two and a half minutes left. However, basketball can be a funny game. Jayson Tatum and the Celtics somehow found a way to win both of those games, and they are now up 3-0 in the series. Indiana is in major trouble as one more win for Boston will send them to the NBA Finals.

When this series started, no one gave the Pacers much of a chance, so it’s not surprising that the Celtics are up 3-0. However, it is surprising after the way that Indiana has played. They have had two perfect opportunities to get wins, and it is surprising that they blew it in both of those games.

Now, the Pacers will somehow have to rattle off four straight wins against the best team in the NBA, and it is not going to be easy. Indiana will look to avoid elimination in Game 4 on Monday night at home. The contest will get going at 8:00 ET, and the game will be airing on ESPN. The Celtics are currently favored by 8.5 points, and they will be hoping for another big game from Tatum.