Jayson Tatum joins some incredible company for playoff scoring
BOSTON -- Celtics fans have long known that Jayson Tatum is one of the best young stars in the NBA. A new milestone reached on Wednesday night may help illustrate that reality to the rest of the basketball world.
With a 22-point night in the Celtics' Game 5 win over the Heat, Tatum topped 1,500 playoff points for his career, officially getting to 1,508 points in 66 games played.
With Tatum being 24 years old and 83 days when reaching that 1,500-point milestone, he became the second-youngest player to ever hit that mark.
The only player to reach 1,500 points at a younger age was Kobe Bryant. Tatum's behind Bryant but passed LeBron James, who was 24 years and 130 days when he reached the mark.
Of course, Kobe Bryant was also a three-time NBA champion by the time he was 24. But statistically, Tatum is on a level with Bryant through age 24 in the postseason. (LeBron James, despite no titles at that age, was operating in another stratosphere.)
KOBE BRYANT: 7 postseasons
97 games, .439 FG%, .349 3P%
22.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists per gameJAYSON TATUM: 5 postseasons
66 games, .442 FG%, .356 3P%
22.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists per gameLEBRON JAMES: 4 postseasons
60 games, .452 FG%, .301 3P%
29.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists per game
Of course, Tatum is focused on guiding the Celtics to the Finals and, ideally, a championship. But for now, Tatum is in exclusive company with only his idol and his mentor, clearly on the way to a special level of NBA superstardom.
