Nostalgia was already in the air on Tuesday night, with Jaylen Brown making his first appearance against the Boston Celtics since being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. But Jayson Tatum gave the crowd another flashback in the third quarter of the road matchup.
Tatum went right at LeBron James and finished with a poster dunk that helped try to silence a Philly surge. It was the kind of play that instantly pulls people back to Game 7 of the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, when Tatum rose up against the Cleveland Cavaliers and announced himself on the biggest stage. Boston lost that night, but the rookie’s message was unmistakable.
This time, Tatum was making a different point. He has spent plenty of time answering questions about the Brown trade and his relationship with the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, but he has kept trying to steer everything back to basketball. Throwing down on one of the greatest players of all-time did exactly that.
JAYSON TATUM POSTER ON LEBRON JAMES
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 11, 2026
OH MY GOODNESS. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/PKKfZECVOo
The jam also served as a reminder of something that can get lost when Tatum is discussed. He’s known for the 3-pointers and the playmaking, but the four-time All-NBA First-Team selection brings real force at the rim, too. When he gets a lane, he can finish with authority.
With Brown gone, the load on Tatum is heavier now. Paul George, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard can all help shoulder it, but the franchise centerpiece knows what’s on his plate. And he seems to welcome it.
Against the 76ers, the six-time All-Star forward leaned on George and still showed the same fearless edge that has defined him. Inside Xfinity Mobile Arena, everyone got a fresh reminder: when the moment calls for it, Tatum will throw it down.
In Other News...
Celtics Are Forcing A Bigger Title Debate Than Fans Expected
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The bigger question now is not whether Boston is playing well, but how seriously the rest of the league should take this version of the Celtics as the season settles in. It is still early, of course, and plenty can change, but the combination of results, depth and efficiency has given Boston a case that is hard to dismiss. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Keep Winning But Jordan Walsh Is Becoming A Real Rotation Question
Bostons hot start has given the Celtics plenty to feel good about, but it has also sharpened the focus on the edges of the rotation, where Jordan Walsh is trying to carve out a more secure role. He has been used intermittently as a starter, mostly because his defense can help against elite scoring guards, and that part of his game remains valuable for a team that has opened 10-2 and rattled off five straight wins.
The question is whether the rest of Walshs game is keeping pace. His offensive impact has been limited, especially from three-point range, and Bostons overall performance has been stronger when he is not on the floor. The defense is still there, and the Celtics clearly trust him in certain matchups, but his place in the nightly rotation is now something the staff has to keep evaluating as the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Overcame A Brutal Start To Steal One In Toronto
Toronto came out firing and briefly made this feel like a long night for Boston, setting a franchise record with 10 three-pointers in the first quarter and building a 22-point lead early in the second. But the Celtics kept chipping away, leaning on Jayson Tatum, Neemias Queta and a few other steady contributions to turn a lopsided game into something far more manageable before the break.
From there, Bostons pressure and poise started to matter more than the early damage, and a 17-2 burst swung the momentum back in its favor. What had looked like a runaway for the Raptors became a test of whether the Celtics could keep their composure on the road, and they did enough late to leave Toronto with a win that felt a lot bigger than the final margin. [Read more 🡒]