As Jayson Tatum continues to evolve as an all-around playmaker, there are few better models to emulate than his chief competitor on Christmas Day.
And fittingly enough, Tatum delivered a LeBron James-esque effort on Monday to help his Boston Celtics earn a 126-115 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Despite shooting just 6 for 15 (40 percent) from the floor and 1 for 6 (16.7 percent) from 3-point range, Tatum found other ways to contribute, racking up eight rebounds, seven assists and a block with just one turnover. And thanks to 12 made free throws on 13 attempts, he still finished with 25 points to outduel James, who posted a very similar stat line (16 points on 5 for 14 shooting with nine rebounds and eight assists) for the Lakers.
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Earlier in Tatum's career, rough shooting nights would more often result in Celtics losses. As recently as last season, Boston was 14-10 when Tatum shot 40 percent or worse from the floor. This season, however, the C's are 5-1 in games when Tatum is at or below 40 percent, a testament to the strides he's made outside the scoring department.
Tatum admitted he's learned a thing or two from James, who's one of the most well-rounded players in NBA history (and who shared an heartwarming moment with Tatum's son, Deuce, after the game).
“He’s been the most complete player in the game for a very, very long time," Tatum told reporters after Monday's game. "There's a lot that you can learn from a guy like him. Obviously, the way that he thinks the game two, three steps ahead of everybody else.
"And as a younger player, just always trying to find ways to impact the game. You’re not always going to make shots, but still want to be the best player and dominate the game in different ways every single night. So that’s what I tried to do tonight."
Tatum now has five or more assists in five of his last nine games and is averaging 4.6 dimes per contest in the month of December. More importantly, he's playing some of the most efficient basketball of his career: While his attempts per game (19.3) have dipped below 20 for the first time since 2019-20, his field goal percentage (47.7 percent) and 2-point percentage (58.0 percent) are both at career highs.
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That's partly a reflection of having better teammates around him; the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday have given the Celtics a loaded starting five and reduced the defensive attention Tatum faces on a nightly basis. But to his credit, Tatum is embracing his LeBron-like role as both a go-to scorer and primary facilitator for his teammates.
“It’s not so much sacrifice as it is reinvent,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said Monday night of Tatum's playmaking ability. “You’re starting to see what leadership looks like and what value looks like for him.”
The good news for Boston is that Tatum still has room to grow, especially in the postseason, where the Celtics have yet to get over the hump after back-to-back deep playoff runs. But if Tatum continues to follow in James' footsteps, perhaps a championship ring will be in his near future.