Celtics Game-Breaker: Jayson Tatum’s huge second quarter powers team to NBA championship
The Boston Celtics are NBA champions once again. It was a done deal by halftime.
Thanks to an incredible quarter of basketball by superstar Jayson Tatum.
Tatum finished with 31 points, eight rebounds, and 11 assists in a signature game to close out his first career NBA title, but it was his standout performance in the second quarter that ultimately put the game out of reach for the Dallas Mavericks. He grabbed 12 points and five assists in the second quarter alone.
Further, Tatum made his five assists to four different teammates. That’s a testament to both his willingness to spread the ball around and the sheer depth of shooting talent that Celtics President of Basketball Ops Brad Stevens amassed around him.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 17: Jrue Holiday #4 and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics react after a play against the Dallas Mavericks during the fourth quarter of Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
But when the situation called for it, Tatum took the ball into his own hands. He aggressively attacked the rim, scoring six of his 12 second-quarter points on drives to the hoop and three on free throws.
His effort helped power a 19-7 run to close out the second quarter, putting the Celtics up 21 points at halftime. The Mavericks would never pull within 17 for the rest of the game.
Tatum also closed strong, keeping the Mavs at bay with an 11-point fourth quarter, including 11 of the Celtics’ final 15 points. He was the main reason the C’s were up big in the first place, and the main reason there was no late comeback for Dallas.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 17: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics lifts the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy after Boston’s 106-88 win against the Dallas Mavericks in Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Now that he’s officially a champion, and earned it in his own right, Tatum has certainly shut up a lot of critics and skeptics that have wondered if and when he’d ever reach the top.
“These last seven years have been a roller coaster, up and down,” Tatum said after the game. “I had to listen to all the shit that people said about me, and tonight, it was worth it. Oh, my God.”
Now that the burden of not winning is not longer there for Tatum, it’ll be an intriguing sight when he and the Celtics go for that 19th banner in 2025. They’ll certainly enter next season as the favorites to win it all, with their entire top-7 rotation expected back (barring a possible Al Horford retirement?).
MORE: Celtics win banner 18 after dominant performance against Mavericks
But we’ll never wonder again if Tatum could do it. Because he did it. And he closed it out himself.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
