Jayson Tatum is a man of many skills. Coach Joe Mazzulla can play his superstar in nearly any position because he can pass, shoot, defend, and even grab rebounds well. One talent the Boston Celtics star has carried over from his rookie campaign is his athleticism. During their clash against the Philadelphia 76ers, there were some flashes of what happened during the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals. Eight years later, Tatum was still putting LeBron James on a poster.
Tatum emphatically posterizes James during 76ers vs. Celtics
A lot of storylines are in play for this game between the 76ers and Celtics. The main one people are focused on is the perceived feud between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. There is also the historical backdrop of it being the most-played matchup in league history, regular season and playoffs combined. However, a storyline that people forget is the competitive animosity between LeBron James and Tatum. That all came to a heated climax in the third quarter.
See, the Celtics led 62-51 at halftime. James and the 76ers were trying their best to catch up. It all became a game of momentum swings and big moments. Tatum is not new to this scenario, and Coach Joe Mazzulla sometimes even begs him to have these huge outbursts. The Celtics star delivered and made James have flashes of their 2018 Eastern Conference battle.
Tatum had put James in a poster once again.
JAYSON TATUM JUST POSTERED LEBRON OMFG!!!!!! https://t.co/YyGkqFCGmJ
— CelticsUnite (@CelticsUnite18) November 11, 2026
This wasn’t the only moment that helped the Celtics. Coach Mazzulla has seen Tatum put up 21 points on 47.05% from the field and 42.9% from three. He also recorded six rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. The 76ers forced him into two turnovers, but they were small compared to his contributions. All of that happened just by the end of the third quarter as well.
There is still a lot of basketball to be played between the 76ers and Celtics. But it’s looking like Tatum has the upper hand; all he has to do is not let go of the lead.
