Jayson Tatum made historical past on Sunday, and he didn’t even play.
Tatum and the remainder of the Celtics regulars sat out for the common season finale in opposition to the Hawks, and Boston’s famous person clinched a historic feat by doing so. Tatum turned the primary participant in Celtics historical past to attain 30 or extra factors per recreation in a single season, ending the common season at 30.1 factors per recreation in 74 video games. The earlier franchise excessive was set by Larry Bird in 1987-88, when he had 29.9 factors per recreation.
Tatum’s 2,225 factors are the fifth-most in Celtics historical past, and probably the most since Isaiah Thomas scored 2,199 factors in 2016-17.
Tatum’s profession 12 months was completed in 74 video games in a 12 months through which he battled by means of lingering accidents. He handled wrist and finger issues, and extra lately, a left hip contusion. An MVP candidate early within the season, Tatum’s play regressed after the All-Star break and he appeared to hit a wall.
But Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens stated on Sunday that he’s been pleased with how Tatum’s workload has been managed this season. Stevens stated earlier within the season that he and Tatum argued in regards to the star taking a while off and Tatum finally performed a career-high 2,732 minutes, which included a number of high-volume video games.
“Specifically since the All-Star break, really good,” Stevens stated of Tatum’s administration. “He’s had a couple of little nagging things that have popped up so he’s missed a couple of games here and there which in the big picture’s not the end of the world. I think even if you take out the 49-minute game that he played, the minutes are even down a little bit from the start of the year and yet he’s gotten a few of those games that keep you ready because he’s gonna be a big-minute guy in the playoffs obviously. And Jaylen (Brown) as well. So I feel good about us.”
Tatum sat out for Sunday’s recreation alongside Brown, Marcus Smart, Al Horford, Robert Williams and Malcolm Brogdon, whereas the Hawks saved regulars Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic and John Collins. The recreation was meaningless for each groups as they rested their regulars for the playoffs.
The Celtics might face the Hawks within the first spherical of the playoffs. The Hawks will go to the Heat in Miami on Tuesday night time within the 7-8 play-in recreation to find out Boston’s first playoff opponent.
Source: www.bostonherald.com