In case it slipped anyone’s mind, Jayson Tatum is usually a playoff riser. Quite a high riser at that.
Last night in Philadelphia, he rose and shone once again, this time in front of a boisterous, sometimes arrogant home crowd. Tatum dazzled with an in-and-out dribble on a coast-to-coast play before spinning his way to an easy layup, making the difficult look effortless. He is also making it look like coming back from a ruptured Achilles tendon—one of the most devastating injuries in professional sports, often career-altering or career-ending—is no big deal.
The Boston Celtics delivered another dominant performance, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers by more than 30 points to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series. Stealing a line from Anthony Edwards, the Sixers may have Joel Embiid, but the Celtics have Jayson Tatum—a springy, joyful version of the star forward ready to lead Boston past its longtime rivals and extend a historic trend: the Celtics have not lost a playoff series to the 76ers since 1982.
Up 3-1, Boston looks poised to advance to the second round. For that to happen and beyond, the Celtics will need this version of Tatum.
Jayson Tatum Makes More History in Clutch Game 4 Win
To think he might have been nervous in his first road playoff game since returning from Achilles reconstruction. Let’s learn never to doubt this man again.
In Game 3, with the series knotted at one game apiece, Tatum sank the Sixers with 25 points, including two gut-punch three-pointers in the final minutes of regulation. Clearly, he didn’t feel that was enough. In Game 4 on the road in Philadelphia, Tatum came back with even bigger intentions, dropping 30 points on efficient 50% shooting from the field and 50% from beyond the three-point line, while adding 11 assists. Nothing major—just another masterclass.
His 30 points moved him into the top 30 on the NBA’s all-time playoff scoring list, tying him with future Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook at No. 28. Capturing milestones in the playoffs after tearing your Achilles? As the kids today like to say, crazy.
But that’s not all. After the game, the NBA announced eye-opening news: the six-time All-Star became the first player in Boston Celtics history to record 30 points, 10 assists, and five three-pointers in a single postseason game.
Question for the youth: Is that stat line worthy of some glaze?
Is He Getting Enough Credit?
It’s fair to say Tatum has been on the wrong end of fan feedback over the years. From echoing Kevin Garnett’s “we did it!” after winning the Finals to the Celtics proving they can look like contenders even without him at times, some simply haven’t vibed with him. Critics can say what they please about that championship moment. And yes, Boston won 50-plus games without him this season while a teammate emerged as an MVP candidate. But he’s still Jayson Tatum—a five-time All-NBA selection (and counting), a six-time All-Star (and counting), and a perennial MVP candidate when healthy, which he has been for the vast majority of his career outside of this season.
The ingenuity Tatum is displaying this spring should silence many of the doubts. After missing significant time and undergoing major surgery, his return has been nothing short of remarkable. In Game 4, he wasn’t just efficient—he was dominant in a blowout victory that spoiled the atmosphere in Philadelphia and put the Celtics on the brink of advancing.
The Celtics saw off the 76ers once again, and they did it convincingly. With Tatum playing at this level, Boston’s path forward looks increasingly bright. Whether it’s the flashy plays, the clutch scoring, the playmaking, or the historic milestones, one thing is clear: playoff Tatum is back, and he’s making it look easy.