Jayson Tatum went off for a career-high 53 points and led the Celtics back from a 17-point second half deficit and to an overtime victory vs the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum made history Friday night by scoring the third-most points in a single game in team history.
Tatum poured in a career-high 53 points in a 145-136 overtime win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The 23-year-old All-Star became the first Celtics player to score 53 or more points since Larry Bird scored a franchise record 60 in 1985. Tatum also passed Bird to become the youngest player in C's history to score 50-plus points.
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Forsberg: What we liked about Tatum's career night, beyond the points
Tatum grabbed 10 rebounds in the win, too, which made him the first C's player with a 50/10 game since Bird accomplished the feat in 1989. Bird, Kevin McHale and Tatum are the only players in team history with 50-point double-doubles.
What does Tatum think about being mentioned in the same sentence as Bird after his historic performance?
"It's kinda hard to put into words," Tatum admitted. "Any time you're mentioned in any category with someone like that, one of the greatest players ever, is an honor.
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"I just grew up wanting to be in the NBA when I was a kid. Now I'm living out my dream at a high level, it's more than I ever could have wished for."
Tatum is heating up at the perfect time for the Celtics as they battle for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference. He's averaging 28.5 points and 7.8 rebounds, while shooting 49.5 from the field and 38.8 from 3-point range over the last 10 games.