The Boston Celtics set out to make a statement win against their rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, on Saturday night. With high anticipation leading up to the showdown, the Celtics were looking to avenge their Jan. 23 loss to a Lakers team that entered the game on an eight-game winning streak.
Despite missing center Kristaps Porzingis for the fifth consecutive game due to illness, Boston fielded its most complete lineup in weeks, bolstered by the return of veteran guard Jrue Holiday. However, it was star forward Jayson Tatum who stole the show, delivering a dominant first-half performance to lead the Celtics.
Tatum erupted for 22 points, four rebounds, and four assists in the opening half, giving Boston a four-point lead at the break. Via their official stats page, the Celtics announced that Tatum is third in a very impressive NBA category.
Tatum's 20th 20-point half of the season placed him third in the NBA behind Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32) and Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards (31) for the most such halves this year.
Jayson Tatum recorded his 20th 20-point half of the season tonight with a 22-point first half against Los Angeles.
He ranks third in the league in that category behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32) and Anthony Edwards (21).
— Celtics Stats (@celtics_stats) March 9, 2025
After a hard-fought first half, the Celtics pulled away in the third quarter, extending their lead to 20 points, with Tatum adding another 10 points to his tally. Despite a Lakers' rally, Boston held on to secure the win, with Tatum scoring 40 points.
Now a six-time All-Star, Tatum continues to have one of the best seasons of his career, serving as the driving force behind Boston's quest to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors.
Related: Lakers Make Bronny James Announcement Before Celtics Game
Related: Lakers' JJ Redick Makes Opinion of Celtics' Joe Mazzulla Very Clear
Copyright 2025 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 10:00 PM.