Jayson Tatum led the Boston Celtics to a much-needed 115-93 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, cutting their series deficit to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Tatum’s standout performance also saw him surpass Kobe Bryant on the NBA’s all-time playoff scoring list for players under 28 years old.
The Celtics bounced back after two shocking losses at TD Garden, where they had squandered 20-point leads in both games. Facing a 3-0 deficit—which no team in NBA history has ever overcome—the Celtics knew Game 3 was a must-win. Head coach Joe Mazzulla’s team responded with a commanding performance, dominating on both ends of the court.
While Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard led all Celtics scorers with 23 points, Tatum was the driving force behind the victory, contributing 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.
With his Game 3 stat line, Tatum moved past Kobe Bryant into second place for the most playoff points scored before turning 28, amassing a total of 2,892 points. The only player ahead of him on this prestigious list is LeBron James, who holds the top spot with 3,275 points.
Tatum addresses criticism of his shot selection
Tatum entered Game 3 under scrutiny for his shooting struggles in the first two games of the series, where he shot just 28.6% from the floor and 25% (5-of-20) from beyond the arc. However, he silenced critics with a 5-of-9 performance from deep in Game 3, showcasing his ability to adjust under pressure.
In the postgame press conference, Tatum reflected on the criticism and his approach to high-stakes playoff basketball. “I don’t think too much of it. It’s the playoffs; it’s the biggest time of the year,” Tatum said. “There’s gonna be a different narrative essentially after every game…Not riding the emotional roller coaster after a win or after a loss”.
What’s next for Tatum and the Celtics?
With the series now at 2-1 in favor of the Knicks, the Celtics will look to even the score in Game 4, set for Wednesday, May 14, at Madison Square Garden. A win would send the series back to Boston tied, giving the Celtics an opportunity to regain home-court advantage in Game 5 at the TD Garden.