NBA: Celtics-Lakers Mark Milestone For Jayson Tatum, Lebron James Shares Praise

The Boston Celtics and LA Lakers have had one of the most historic rivalries in the NBA’s history. The battle of the Green and White against the Purple and Gold are cemented as one of the league’s premier stories. While it’s been a while since the two have faced off as playoff contenders, this season offers a new spark to the matchup.

The Lakers have found themselves back on top with Lebron James and Anthony Davis taking charge of the Los Angeles team. Lebron is on his 17th year but is still going strong, leading the Lakers to the first seed in the Western Conference. Davis has been the dominant big man he always has been with averages of 26.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.

The Celtics, on the other hand, have found a young core to lead them in the future. With the acquisition of All-Star guard Kemba Walker in the offseason; the team has also developed starters Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as stars. Brown is averaging 20.3 points per game while Tatum is on a meteoric rise to stardom. Tatum was selected to his first All-Star appearance and has continuously stepped up this year.

In the recently concluded Lakers-Celtics matchup, Los Angeles came on top, 114-112. They bounced back from their January 20 loss where the Celtics gave the Lakers a lopsided affair, 107-139.

While the Celtics were unable to pick up the win, Tatum stepped up in a tremendous manner as he lined up 41 big points. This marks as a milestone for him as he has tied his career-high and was able to do so care of a variety of moves. Whether it’s driving strong inside the point or stepping back for a three, Tatum displayed an all-around offensive show. He is also the youngest player in the Celtics-Lakers rivalry to tally a 40-point game.

His stellar performance got the attention of Lebron as the four-time MVP gave a little nod to the former number 3 overall pick. He took to Instagram to give high praise for Tatum, saying he’s going to be “an absolute problem” for years to come.

Tatum has come a long way as the idols of his childhood were able to recognize and give him the utmost respect that he’s earned.