Jayson Tatum records first Celtics 40-point triple-double since Larry Bird

Noa Dalzell: Kristaps Porzingis agreed with Joe 100% that people take Jayson Tatum for granted: “He’s not a PR player — he doesn’t do everything just for PR. He actually plays the right way, he doesn’t need to always score 50. He’s hungry for winning. And that’s a big difference.” -via x.com / December 22, 2024

Fultz is out of the league after an injury-filled career. Ball has missed two years with knee injuries and is playing on his third NBA team. Tatum is a five-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA, 2023 All-Star Game MVP, and NBA champion. The deal worked out well for the Celtics. “Yeah, I think I was upset at the time that there wasn’t genuine interest,” Tatum said before he exploded for 43 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 123-98 blowout of the Bulls Saturday in Chicago. “From my perspective, I grew up the biggest Kobe fan and wanted to play for the Lakers. And Magic explained it: they had too many forwards and that was their thought process at the time. It wasn’t like I got any animosity toward Magic or the Lakers. It was just as a kid. I was close to accomplishing a life-long dream, the way I thought it would be. -via Boston Globe / December 22, 2024

Bobby Krivistky: Mazzulla on Tatum on a night he became the first player in Celtics history w/ at least 40 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists: “He’s really coachable, and he wants to play the right way and he wants to do the right thing…Sometimes, you have to tell him to be himself.” -via Bluesky / December 22, 2024