Jayson Tatum still has time to figure it out, but the moment still hasn’t arrived for him.

The same moment LeBron James had more than a decade ago.

As we rewind to 2012, the Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett-era Boston Celtics had taken a 3-2 lead over the favored Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. The discourse between Games 5 & 6 centered on whether James, then 27, had what it takes to match his generational talent with championship greatness.

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• James’ place among the all-time greats and champions in NBA history remains up for debate. But what’s clear is that James unlocked something when he took the court in Game 6 of the 2012 east finals in Boston.

  James blistered the Celtics for a game-high 45 points on 73.1 shooting, and also dominated the glass with 15 rebounds. He played nearly the entire game at 44:49, as the Heat grabbed a convincing 98-79 win, then rode that momentum into a 13-point win in Game 7, then a five-game series win for his first NBA championship.

  But what people will always remember most about that year was James’ performance in that Game 6 in Boston. And just that look on his face.

• On this day in 2012, LeBron James dominated in Game 6 of the ECF and gave us an iconic meme:
  
  ▪️ 45 PTS
  ▪️ 19-26 FG
  ▪️ 15 REB pic.twitter.com/LCxSYeTRD7

  — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 7, 2022

• That shot has indeed become one of the great sports memes, synonymous with being locked in and taking your game to another level. It was a thrill ride for Miami fans at the time, and terrifying for the rest of the NBA. James had finally found that level it took for him to win it all.

  Which brings us back to the present day and the 25-year-old Tatum. Does he still need a couple more years before he has that “LeBron James moment?” Does it come on Thursday night in Game 6 against the Philadelphia 76ers, who have an opportunity to close out the deeper, more talented, higher-seeded Celtics at home? Does it ever come?

  Thursday would certainly be a great time for Tatum to find that extra gear for Boston. But we’ve unfortunately seen enough of this Celtics team underachieving to wonder if and when that moment will come for him.

• 

  PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 05: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates a basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter in game three of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center on May 05, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

• The Celtics looked bizarrely disengaged, lethargic, and unfocused from the start in Game 5 against the Sixers. There was an inescapable feeling that it flowed down from Tatum, who had just four points through the first 18 minutes of the game and didn’t score his first field goal until 5:48 to go in the first half.

  Tatum ended up grinding his way to 36 points, but the damage had been done. The Celtics collectively went cold on offense and lacked the defensive intensity or adjustments to keep pace with the 76ers, who led by as many as 21 points during the game.

  Losses are inevitable in the NBA Playoffs, but an effort like we saw in Game 5 should be unacceptable. Tatum can’t be starting games like that, and looking so oddly detached for much of the time, and expect to win a championship.

• 

  BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 03: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter of game two of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs at TD Garden on May 03, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

  It seems we’ve seen enough of Tatum to know he lacks the level of Killer Instinct™ that Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant had. To be fair, these questions existed about Jordan himself for the first several seasons of his career. But Jordan had more flashes of greatness than Tatum has to this point.

  Frankly, LeBron never had that Jordan/Kobe thing going for him either. If he had Jordan’s competitive fire, he would’ve won double-digit championships. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t figure it out for a night. He figured it out four times. Celtics fans would certainly take four championships with Tatum.

• 

  PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 05: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts against Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter in game three of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center on May 05, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

• We’re still waiting for Tatum to prove that he really, truly knows what it takes to get a ring and hoist a trophy. He needs his LeBron moment. Even if he’s not going to have a perfect playoff career, a ring is a ring. A banner is a banner.

  The Tatum-era Celtics have been considered a championship-caliber team for more than a calendar year now. This wouldn’t be their first comeback. But until Tatum finds that next level, we’re left wondering if he will ever have enough to finish the job. He won’t prove he’s figured it out until he actually wins.

  But we may know as soon as Thursday night. If Tatum has that look in his eye.

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  Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt’s content here.

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