The Boston Celtics are prioritizing health over records in their final regular-season game against the Charlotte Hornets this Sunday. With the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference already locked in, the team has decided to rest its key players—including franchise star Jayson Tatum—ahead of the upcoming NBA Playoffs.
Tatum will sit out the regular-season finale, officially concluding what has been another outstanding campaign for the six-time NBA All-Star. In 72 games played during the 2024-25 season, Tatum averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and a career-high 6.0 assists per game.
Tatum is now just the third player in Boston Celtics history to post those kinds of all-around numbers in a season. He joins Larry Bird and John Havlicek—two Celtics legends and Hall of Famers—on that elite list.
Bird achieved similar stats in four consecutive seasons from 1984 to 1988, while Havlicek accomplished the feat twice during his storied career. Sharing a statistical bracket with these iconic figures further cements Tatum’s growing legacy in Boston.
As impressive as the individual milestones are, Tatum’s focus is clearly on the bigger goal: helping lead the Celtics to another deep playoff run and potentially becoming back-to-back NBA champions. Boston now awaits the results of the NBA Play-In Tournament to determine their first-round opponent.
