Jayson Tatum is a gamble that continues to pay off for the Boston Celtics. They had the confidence to trade down during the 2017 NBA Draft to select him instead of Markelle Fultz. Since then, he has been a three-time All-NBA First Team member and a six-time NBA All-Star.
More importantly, the former Duke standout helped the Celtics win the franchise’s 18th NBA championship. Throughout that postseason, Tatum averaged 25 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game.
However, as he maintains a lofty standard while building on his legacy in Boston, he’s bound to entrench himself into the Celtics’ record books. With each passing game, Tatum can shatter the standards established by those who donned the white and green before him.
As the 2024-25 NBA regular season ended, he surpassed an iconic Celtics great who helped brought the league back to relevance. This feat is a testament to Tatum’s consistency despite the arduous grind.
Jayson Tatum surpasses Larry Bird in an impressive scoring achievement
The Celtics’ official account on X/Twitter shared, “Jayson Tatum is the first Celtic to average 25+ PPG in five straight seasons, surpassing Larry Bird’s previous record of four.” It’s an astonishing achievement, considering all the fabled Celtics since the team’s inception in 1946.
Jayson Tatum is the first Celtic to average 25+ PPG in five straight seasons, surpassing Larry Bird’s previous record of four 👀 pic.twitter.com/9mXDpqoACs
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 17, 2025
Tatum averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and six assists in 72 regular season games this year. During their championship season, he played in 74 games, posting averages of 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.
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Jayson Tatum averaged 30.1 points per game in 2022-23, 26.9 in 2021-22, and 26.4 in 2020-21. Meanwhile, Bird averaged at least 25 points per game from 1984 to 1988. His streak ended when he played in only six games during the 1988-89 season, leading to a 19.3-point-per-game average.
As impressive as that achievement is, Jayson Tatum scored only 17 points in their series opener against the Orlando Magic. As they proceed with another playoff run, the Celtics will need Tatum to assert himself more on offense.
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