Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum explains impressive scoring form
Tatum registered his sixth game this season of 30 points or more as the Celtics beat Orlando on Wednesday
Thursday 6 February 2020 10:31, UK
When the Celtics have needed an offensive lift this season, Tatum has often been the one to pick up the scoring load.
He did it again to help Boston fend off a Magic team fighting to stay in playoff contention.
Tatum scored 16 of his 33 points in the second half and the Celtics held off Orlando 116-100 on Wednesday night.
It was Tatum's sixth game this season with 30 or more points. He has scored in double figures in a career-best 37 consecutive games.
"Just confidence has a lot to do with it, opportunity, and just trying to get better," he said. "Trying to get better in all aspects of my game each year and each summer. Just trying to be a better version of myself than I was last year.
"Orlando is a good team, they're physical, they play hard. It was a tough game and we just had to keep working."
Tatum was sidelined with a groin strain for Boston's win at Orlando last month. He had the hot hand for the Celtics early, scoring 17 points in the opening 24 minutes as Boston took a 57-56 lead into half-time.
"I think some things have slowed down a little bit," Tatum said. "I was playing with aggression early in the season, missing a lot of easy shots in the paint. For me it's all about reading the defense and whatever they give me."
Gordon Hayward added 23 points and Jaylen Brown finished with 18 to help Boston win its fifth straight.
After being held to three points in the third quarter, Tatum scored 10 straight points to give Boston a 99-91 lead with 6:52 remaining. Then, following a timeout, Tatum led a fast break and found Brown, who threw down a one-handed dunk over Michael Carter-Williams to give the Celtics the game's first double-digit advantage.
Orlando pulled within 105-98 with less than three minutes to play on a basket by Nikola Vucevic. The Celtics responded with back-to-back three-pointers by Hayward and Tatum that made it 111-98 with 1:46 left.
"He's an All-Star for a reason," Magic forward Aaron Gordon said of Tatum. "Kemba (Walker) was out, he stepped up."
Hayward said he and his teammates made up for what they didn't have on the court by playing hard and sticking to the game plan.
"We battled," Hayward said. "Some of it is just being able to experience playing with each other more and more. We've had guys in and out of the line-up all year, so we kind of get used to that."
