Jayson Tatum may not be back to his absolute best, but he is starting to show signs of getting there. After coming short in Game 2 at home, the Boston Celtics bounced back on Friday night as they recorded a 108-100 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Game 3.
Since being drafted as the number three pick in the 2017 NBA draft, Tatum, alongside his teammate Jaylen Brown, has played more playoff games than anyone else in the NBA. All that experience came into play in Game 3, as the Celtics took a 2-1 series lead.
The 28-year-old made a few clutch baskets in the last two minutes of the game. But the biggest one came with less than 30 seconds on the clock. The Celtics were leading 103-100 before Tatum drilled a three-pointer to give his team a six-point lead.
Before the 2025-26 campaign got underway, it was expected that Jayson Tatum would miss the entire season due to an Achilles Tendon rupture he suffered in the playoffs last year. However, he made a remarkable recovery and was able to feature in 16 games in the regular season.
His return was a huge boost for the Celtics' chances of contending for the championship this year. In his absence, Jaylen Brown emerged as the leader of the team and was playing at an MVP level. He led the Celtics to second place in a wide-open Eastern Conference.
Tatum has been getting better with every passing game as he has been trying to find his rhythm over the last month. Friday night showed that Tatum is getting there, which will be a worry for the rest of the field.
The duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown is arguably one of the best duos in the league. Both of them are capable of scoring at will and defending at a very high level, making them elite two-way players.
After a disappointing loss in Game 2, the Celtics had lost their home advantage. Hence, there was some pressure on the Celtics heading into Game 3 on Friday. However, the duo answered the call and were at their very best.
Both Tatum and Brown led the scorers for Boston and combined to score 50 points. Tatum recorded 25 points, five rebounds, seven assists, and one steal. Meanwhile, Brown ended his night with 25 points as well to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, one steal, and three blocks.
The Celtics will be pleased to get back their home-court advantage. With Joel Embiid still doubtful, the Celtics will be optimistic about their chances in Game 4.
Heading into the postseason, Jayson Tatum was averaging 21.8 points, ten rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 16 appearances in the regular season. While the numbers are decent, he was shooting at just 41.1% from the field. Since his return, efficiency has been a concern for Tatum, as it looked like he was rushing into his shots. However, he seemed a lot calmer and was ready to seize the moment on Friday.
After the win, Tatum reflected on his performance and spoke about what it took to close out Game 3.
I've been here before… just give the game what it needs, as long as you win that's all that matters.
Jayson Tatum in his court-side interviewThe win will be a huge confidence booster for Tatum as they progress in the playoffs. Reports suggest that Embiid may be back for the next game as the 76ers will be desperate to take Game 4 at home and level the series at 2-2. A huge Game 4 awaits on Sunday night.
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