Jayson Tatum joins Larry Bird in Celtics’ history books in loss to Hornets

Jayson Tatum joins Larry Bird in Celtics’ history books in loss to Hornets originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics concluded their four-game road trip with a 121-118 overtime loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night, bringing their season record to 11-3. In this defeat, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum achieved a significant milestone, becoming the second player in Celtics history to record at least 45 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists in a single game.

Following in the footsteps of Larry Bird, who accomplished that stat line four times during his 13-year tenure with the Celtics, Tatum posted a season-high 45 points on 15-of-28 shooting, including an efficient 7-of-15 from beyond the arc. Despite the team’s third loss of the season, Tatum shone brightly during his 44 minutes on the court.

Playing without Al Horford and Derrick White, Tatum also led the team in rebounds and assists with 13 and six, respectively. His contributions on the boards were crucial as the team struggled with rebounding, being outrebounded by the Hornets 57-48.

Ball movement also posed a challenge for the Celtics, with only 19 team assists compared to their season average of 24.5. Assists have been a weak point for the Celtics’ offense this season, ranking 24th among all teams in that category. However, Tatum showed improvement in the assist game during Monday night’s loss with six, surpassing his season average of 4.1 assists per game.

The Celtics’ loss marks the end of a long road trip and the second night of a back-to-back without two key players in Horford and White. It also signals Boston’s first overtime game of the season, possibly inspiring Celtics’ coach Joe Mazzulla to strategize for future OT scenarios.

Instead of dwelling on the loss, Celtics fans can celebrate their star player’s historic performance as they anticipate facing off against an Eastern Conference contender, the Milwaukee Bucks, back at home on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.