Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla Opens up After Jayson Tatum's Historic 51-Point Performance

Tatum continues to shine for the NBA-best Celtics

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Jayson Tatum had arguably his best game of the season Monday afternoon.

The Boston Celtics hit the road to take on the Charlotte Hornets and Tatum shined for the shorthanded C's as they earned their seventh straight win, 130-118.

Tatum poured in 51 points to go along with nine rebounds and five assists while breaking Boston legend Larry Bird's team record for most 50-point regular season games in team history with his fifth. 

After the game, Boston interim head coach Joe Mazzulla opened up about Tatum's performance in the big win. 

"(He) came out aggressive," Mazzulla said as seen on NBC Sports Boston. "I thought he did a great job reading the defense throughout the game. I thought he did a great job differentiating his attack, whether it was pick-and-roll ball-handling, or pick-and-roll screening whether it was off-ball. I thought he did a great job taking what the defense was giving him and credit to him for playing that way and credit to our guys for having the humility to help him achieve what he achieved. I think that's what makes us a great team. We have the humility to do both. Credit to all of those guys and I'm happy for Jayson." 

Tatum has taken a massive leap this season -- so much so that he's currently in the running for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award -- and performances like Monday's just shows how far he's come. 

The young Boston star didn't just score at a high level, but instead filled up the stat sheet while helping propel Boston to the big win. The Celtics currently hold the NBA's best record at 33-12 and if the team can get more performances like Monday's from Tatum, the number will surely rise. 

Further Reading

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Here's What Stood Out in the Celtics' Win vs. the Hornets: Jayson Tatum's 51-Point MLK Day Performance Leads Boston to Seventh-Straight Victory

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