BOSTON — In the very first game of the new NBA season, the Boston Celtics proved why they should be the overwhelming favorites to win a second straight championship. They absolutely dominated the New York Knicks, earning a 132-109 victory and draining 29 threes in the process (which tied an NBA record).
While every player on the Celtics roster contributed to the victory, Jayson Tatum led the charge. The Boston superstar was unconscious from behind the three-point line and destroyed the Knicks in every aspect of the game. It was an incredible performance for the 26-year-old, especially after the summer of scrutiny he endured.
And Joe Mazzulla loved it.
Joe Mazzulla loved Jayson Tatum's performance vs. Knicks
After the game, Mazzulla spoke about how impressed he was by Tatum’s performance and ability to block out the noise.
“I mean, I expect him to just stay right here and just continue to work on his game. Continue to get better,” Mazzulla said. “And I'm proud of, obviously, the way he shot the ball, but more just how he dominated the game in all the areas. Picked his spots really well took the shots that he wanted. But the guy just works hard every day.
“He doesn't allow things to get in the way of what's most important. And that kind of showed tonight, and I expect him to have a great season. But that doesn't mean there won't be ups and downs. But I'm happy for him that he got off to a great start.”
Tatum finished the game with 37 points, four rebounds, and 10 assists while shooting 14-of-18 from the field and 8-of-11 from beyond the three-point line.
From the very first shot of the game, Tatum was on track for a monster night. New York consistently gave him open pull-up threes as they rolled out in drop coverage with Karl-Anthony Towns. And by the time they tried to adjust, Tatum was already in a rhythm.
In the playoffs last year, Tatum was ice-cold from three. And that trend continued in the Olympics. Tatum didn’t make a single jump shot while playing for Team USA, and he had to deal with a ton of slander because of it.
The media was dissing him, social media was dissing him, and opposing fanbases often made him their punching bag. But on Opening Night, he responded.
Tatum spent the summer working on his three-point shot. It’s quicker, and he dips his hands less on the way down. Based on the initial results, it worked.
Opening Night was a complete masterclass by Tatum, and as the Celtics get rolling on their quest for Banner 19, he couldn’t have asked for a better start.