SUMMARY
- The approaching February trade deadline for Zach LaVine has stirred league-wide interest, potentially providing the Chicago Bulls with more favorable trade options.
- Recent reports suggest that the Chicago Bulls are seeking a substantial package of 10 first-round picks in exchange for Zach LaVine.
The No. 1 franchise in the Eastern Conference, with a 22-6 record in the first quarter of the 2023–24 season, the Boston Celtics seem to be making their case to snatch yet another championship. While the team has already won 17 championships in the past, their last year’s run in the finals that got much traction from the media. Although the Cs lost the title to the Denver Nuggets in the 2022–23 season, Jayson Tatum’s 30.1 average last season was commendable.
Going down memory lane, the star forward of the Boston Celtics grew reminiscent of his infamous jumper over LeBron James. The C’s faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers in a road game on December 14, 2022, and it was the Cs who swept the game 122-118. While Jayson Tatum scored 44 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, LeBron James stood at a 33-point score. Although Tatum went full-throttle against the Lakers, it’s that one moment that all the hoops fans might never forget.
While the game went into overtime, it was Tatum who got the rebound. Rolling this moment in his mind, Tatum said, “This might be one of my favorite highlights I’ve ever had… Down two with 20 seconds left, we got the rebound and it was me and Bron… That’s a moment you live for.”
“This might be one of my favorite highlights I’ve ever had… Down two with 20 seconds left, we got the rebound and it was me and Bron… That’s a moment you live for.”
Jayson Tatum reminisces on his game-tying jumper over LeBron James on Christmas Day 🪣pic.twitter.com/5PbVJP2EAd
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 23, 2023
What’s worth noting is that the two encounters that the big rival teams had last season both went into overtime. Furthermore, it was the Cs who prevailed victorious in both, with Tatum flirting with a double-double in the second matchup. Although the Lakers and Celtics have a history of rivalry, ‘The King of Longevity’ backed ‘The Cute Rabbit’ back in 2022.
LeBron James backed Jayson Tatum after significant backlash
Jayson Tatum helped the Celtics finish second in the Eastern Conference back in the 2021–22 season. While many were in awe of his first final appearance, the critics came with backlash from left, right, and center. The Cs made their first NBA final appearance in the 2021–22 season, after 2010. What was concerning for the fans was that the team lost to the Golden State Warriors in the finals.
The All-Star averaged 21.5 points on 36.7% shooting from the floor during the six-game series in the finals. That was the topic of debate for each critic, who, according to LeBron James, didn’t stand anywhere near the pedestal. LeBron James made an appearance on episode 5 of ‘The Shop’ on ‘UNINTERREPTED’ on July 15, 2022.
Putting forward his takeaway from the lash back, LeBron said, “Listen, usually the people that’s saying the s*** is the one’s that’s never walked in the arena,” Adding to the argument ‘The Akron Hammer’ said, “Man, it’s so easy to s*** on people when you … They’ve never ever raised they blood-pressure level or they heart rate above a 60 and they out here telling you what you should do.”
While dealing with frequent criticism might be a daily affair for the star forward of the Lakers, it is something Tatum might be unaccustomed to. While teaming up with Tatum, James applauded the player’s performance and said, “It’s like Jayson Tatum is a beast.”