Honoring MLK Jr. Day, the NBA scheduled a 9-game slate today with the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets kicking things off early this afternoon. It was the second match-up, on the Hornets’ home court, against the Celtics this weekend; with the Celtics winning this past Saturday.
Today’s game started off similarly to Saturday’s game, with Charlotte getting a nice run to set the pace. However, the Boston Celtics, and Jayson Tatum, especially, had other plans. The Boston-friendly Charlotte crowd was definitely in for a treat.
The Celtics eventually took control and held off a late rally by the Hornets in the second half, securing their seventh straight win. But the most amazing statistic of the afternoon came from Celtics star, Jayson Tatum.
Tatum led all scorers with his SEVENTH 40+ point game, and capped off the special game day with 51! He was unstoppable. The massive Celtics crowd in Charlotte let it be known as they chanted “MVP” at any chance they could when Tatum touched the ball.
Boston led by as many as 18 points in the second half, but the Hornets would not go down without a fight. Credits to Jalen McDaniels who erupted for a career-high 26 points. It wasn’t enough though.
The Celtics have now won their last five road games and are on a seven-game winning streak. They continue to hold down the top seed, surpassing teams in both the East and West.
JAYSON TATUM TODAY ⭐️
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 16, 2023
51 PTS
15-23 FG
7 3PM
9 REB
5 AST pic.twitter.com/34dtrHKmq0
"We are all blessed and honored to be able to play and represent Dr. King, his legacy, and his family."
— NBA (@NBA) January 16, 2023
Jayson Tatum after his season-high 51 point performance today. #MLKDay pic.twitter.com/JRLB5cAqGF
