‘Nobody can guard him in the league’: Jrue Holiday gives Jayson Tatum credit for igniting Celtics in win over Bucks

Celtics

Tatum was dominant down the stretch, finishing with 34 points to help Boston topple the streaking Bucks.

Jayson Tatum found another gear in the fourth quarter on Friday night.

Trailing the Milwaukee Bucks heading into the final frame, the Celtics needed an extra spark to topple The Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Bucks. Tatum took matters into his own hands, rattling off 14 points in the fourth quarter without missing a field goal attempt in that span (5 of 5).

Tatum finished with 34 points and 10 rebounds, and Boston came away with a close win over Milwaukee at TD Garden.

Following the game, former Buck Jrue Holiday heaped praise onto both Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who finished with 25 points of his own, but specifically noted how Tatum stands out as a superstar.

“Nobody can guard him in the league. He’s a tough guard,” Holiday said of Tatum. “And him driving, he pretty much knows, ‘if I don’t get by him, somebody’s going to be open’, because they’ll have to help. So JT, just credit to him for making plays.”

Holiday has been an All-NBA defensive selection multiple times throughout his career, so his praise is particularly valuable, even if it does involve his own teammate.

And Holiday’s analysis of Tatum’s game this year specifically could be contributing to Tatum averaging the highest assist per game of his career (5.6). The 26-year-old superstar is drawing so much attention that even if he isn’t getting a good look, there’s a good chance that somebody else on the floor is.

Tatum already had a stacked resume heading into this NBA season, but his game is generating legitimate MVP buzz so far this year. Tatum is currently third in the NBA’s latest MVP ladder, trailing Nikola Jokic as well as Antetokounmpo. It’s possible Tatum could leapfrog above Antetokounmpo once again following Friday’s result.

While Tatum has MVP ambitions this season individually, his play is positioning the Celtics as favorites to win the NBA title for a second consecutive season.