Jayson Tatum Is A Goddamn Problem

Pool. Getty Images.

The Celtics absolutely did not deserve to win their third straight. Unable to really put the Magic away all night, this was not exactly their best collective effort. But sometimes you need your best player to go out and steal you a win and that is exactly what Jayson Tatum accomplished on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. It all started with about 43 seconds left

What an incredible sequence from everyone involved. First and foremost, if Kemba doesn't keep that offensive rebound alive, the game is over. You have a disastrous ending to the fourth quarter on your hands. Instead he gets his hand on it, finds Tatum who immediately went into his patented side step three. Huge shot. Crazy he was able to make that since he didn't have a hoop in his driveway in March right? So strange.

Then, in the final moments came the big one

Poor Markelle Fultz. He's going to be seeing Jayson Tatum in his nightmares for the rest of his life. Just can't shake that guy. Love how Tatum used his size and put him in a blender. No chance that was going to be defended. Huge moment and a huge shot by a guy who wants to be in those situations.

In OT, Tatum hit em with the silky smooth midrange

he got to the FT line, it was the type of assertiveness that you love to see in a game you had no business winning. Tatum put his foot down and willed this team to victory. Check that box off as we head into the playoffs. On a night where Kemba couldn't buy a basket and Gordon Hayward was incredible, it was Jayson Tatum who this team knew to play through in the final moments and he came through.

It wasn't perfect, in fact it was rather ugly, filled with a ton of mistakes that will have to be corrected quickly. But we can worry about that tomorrow. Tonight, we celebrate the absolute monster that Jayson Tatum is turning into.