Jayson Tatum will play in his 100th postseason game when the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers square off in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs on Tuesday night. The 26-year-old became the only player to record more than 2,300 points, 750 rebounds, and 450 assists in their first 100 postseason games, joining elite company that included LeBron James and the legendary Larry Bird of the Chicago Bulls.

Former Celtic Paul Pierce gave Tatum his roses during a conversation about the esteemed award on NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics Pregame Live. He said that he had witnessed the five-time All-Star improve significantly in both his physical abilities and mentality on the court.

Regarding Tatum’s 2024 campaign, Pierce remarked, “I’ve seen true growth in Tatum.” “Last year, he went from a guy that averaged 30 (points per game in 2022-23, to a guy) that understands that he doesn’t need 30 to get a win.”

Tatum finished the regular season of the previous year averaging a career-high 30.1 points per game. This season, that number fell to 26.1 as Tatum adopted head coach Joe Mazzulla’s philosophy of putting the success of the team ahead of individual recognition. Tatum’s percentage of field goals also improved, going from 46.6 to 47.1 from the field and from 35 to 37.6 from deep.

“I see his maturity — he’s more vocal, more of a leader, I feel like,” said Pierce. “I feel like his time is now and he understands the process, he understands the moment, he understands what he has to give in the moment.”In cоntrаst tо pаst seаsоns where Tаtum wоuld wаnt tо prоve he is the best plаyer оn the cоurt, Pierce sаid thаt Tаtum nоw pоssesses the mentаl mаturity tо knоw when tо cоntinue plаying Mаzzullа’s teаm-first bаsketbаll оr when it’s time tо plаy superstаr аnd tаke оver the gаme.

“He understands when he really needs to take that step up for the team to win, and he can do that for them,” said Pierce.

Boston’s offense has become almost unstoppable as a result of colleagues Derrick White, Sam Hauser, and Payton Pritchard making major statistical improvements and putting aside personal glory along with Tatum and fellow star Jaylen Brown.

Tatum’s stats for Boston in the first five games of the 2024 playoffs are 21.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game.