Kawhi Leonard has very high praise for Jayson Tatum after Thursday’s epic performance
By Alex Barth, 985TheSportsHub.com
Even after his team dropped a crushing double-overtime decision to the Celtics Thursday night, Kawhi Leonard couldn’t help but recognize the effort of rising superstar Jayson Tatum.
“I mean, he’s just more assertive,” said Leonard, according to Kawhi Leonard on Jayson Tatum's growth and improvement: "I mean, he's just more assertive. They're giving him the ball. They trust him, he trusts himself and he's doing his thing."
Leonard spent most of the night mano a mano with the 21-year-old Tatum. When the Clippers had the ball, Tatum held Leonard to Jayson Tatum guarded Kawhi on 24 possessions and held him to 4-12 shooting
Jayson Tatum really played great defense against Kawhi Leonard 😳 pic.twitter.com/TCVRamGRDL
— Unofficial Aron Baynes Fan Club (@BaynesFanClub) February 14, 2020
As impressive as Tatum was on the defensive end of the floor, he was arguably more impressive on offense. The Duke product dropped 39 points, two shy of his career-high. He hit 14-of-23 shots using just about every trick in his bag from dribble drives to mid-range pull ups to the deep ball, going 5-for-10 from three. Tatum really took control late in the game, kicking off his impressive run by putting Clippers forward JaMychal Green on a poster late in the third quarter.
.@jaytatum0 drops the hammer in tonight's @JetBlue Play of the Game! pic.twitter.com/NRYSracXfI
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 14, 2020
The Celtics funneled the offense more and more through Tatum as the game went on. This provided a number of highlights, including this move around Landry Shamet late in the first overtime with the game on the line:
WHAT. A. MOVE. pic.twitter.com/QTVZCfIq61
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 14, 2020
JT 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/aNVf1kj9xB
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 14, 2020
While Leonard had a front row seat to the Jayson Tatum Experience, he wasn’t the only one to notice Tatum’s apparent arrival as an NBA superstar. Basketball Twitter lit up during and after the game proclaiming Tatum’s showing out on a national stage, against a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year in Leonard.
Win, Lose or Draw Tatum is outplaying Kawhi on both ends of the floor tonight!!!
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) February 14, 2020
https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1228164713420189697?s=20
Tatum has been on fire for a long stretch, but tonight feels different. Getting multiple buckets on Kawhi. Defending Kawhi. National TV vs. one of the real championship contenders. Tonight should be a significant date on his career timeline.
— Russillo (@ryenarussillo) February 14, 2020
NBA players ≤ 21 YO with
— Boston Sports Info (@bostonsportsinf) February 14, 2020
PTS ≥ 3,400
TRB ≥ 1,100
AST ≥ 425
BLK ≥ 150
JAYSON TATUM
LeBron James
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Durant
Tracy McGrady
END OF LIST
Looks like a decent starting line-up
As 98.5 The Sports Hub’s own Ty Anderson pointed out, even with Mookie Betts gone and Tom Brady’s status in doubt, Tatum forms a pair of young superstars at TD Garden that seem to have the next decade of Boston sports under their control.
Imagine your city not having David Pastrnak and Jayson Tatum? Yeesh.
— Ty Anderson (@_TyAnderson) February 14, 2020
This all comes just days before Tatum is set to make his All-Star Game debut. With a national stage to discuss this performance, Tatum’s stock is likely to keep growing even while the team is off. After that, the next item on Tatum’s superstar checklist is a lofty one … an appearance in the NBA Finals.
Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Hate mail? Let him hear it on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at Alexander.Barth@bbgi.com.
