Getty Killian Hayes, Boston Celtics
On February 6, the Boston Celtics returned to winning ways, courtesy of a 111-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons, where Jayson Tatum scored 34 points.
When speaking to the media following the contest, Killian Hayes shared his thoughts on the difficulty of guarding Tatum, especially once he finds his rhythm and starts knocking down his shots.
“A guy like that, you give him any opportunities, he gonna take it. I don’t think he hit a three in the first half; in the second half, he hit one, and once you see one go through, he kept going. And, he was hard to guard. His spin, rip through, he can get the calls on those. A guy like that, you can’t let him get going,” Hayes said.
Tatum was recently selected to his fourth consecutive All-Star team and is well-positioned to fight for an opportunity to be considered for a potential MVP award at the end of the season. Tatum’s recent success is thanks in large part to his season averages of 30.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 46.4% shooting from the field and 35.5% shooting from deep.
Dwane Casey Believes Jayson Tatum Is a Superstar
During his own post-game press conference, Piston’s head coach Dwane Casey spoke glowingly of the Celtics and the growth in their game while also noting how Jayson Tatum is a legitimate superstar in the NBA.
“You know, at some point that he’s going to be a superstar. And that’s why they have the best record in the league, if I’m not mistaken, them and Denver. So, I’ve watched those guys grow; they had the same growing pains as our young players did, and to see where they are now should be motivation for our young players to keep working,” Casey said.
The Pistons are currently dead-last in the Eastern Conference, having won just 14 games all season. However, their young core is incredibly talented, which is why Casey’s comments on learning from Boston’s developments make sense for their roster moving forward.
Celtics Could Be Interested In Kevin Durant
According to Stephen A. Smith, who was speaking during a February 6 episode of ESPN’S First Take, the Celtics could be interested in acquiring Kevin Durant, should the Brooklyn Nets make him available following the trade of Kyrie Irving.
“I’m hearing that he’s on the verge of potentially being moved. Obviously, we’ve all been speculating about that, that he may be moved. They’re on the phone, I’m hearing Boston is making some calls. Keep your eye on that. Jaylen Brown. Keep your eye on that,” Smith said.
Boston currently boasts the best record in the NBA. However, Durant could be the ideal addition to help ensure they remain championship favorites throughout the second half of the season and the playoffs – although there are some legitimate concerns bout moving on from Jaylen Brown for a player who has struggled with injuries over the past few years.
The trade deadline is set to shut on February 9, meaning Boston only has a small window to try and get a deal over the line, should their rumored interest be true.