Celtics' Jayson Tatum nears shattering Michael Jordan, LeBron James NBA Playoffs feat originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

A cakewalk would be a disingenuous qualifier for the 123-91 demolition of the Philadelphia 76ers. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Coach Joe Mazzulla have worked on their identity all season long. Now, the effort of the Boston Celtics is clearly paying off in the NBA Playoffs. More than that, their star player who just came from an Achilles injury just joined an exclusive postseason list that includes LeBron James and Michael Jordan.

For a large majority of this NBA Playoffs game, Jayson Tatum was the most dominant player. He scored 25 points while knocking down nine of his 17 shots from the field and sinking all six of his free throws. There were some low points against the 76ers' perimeter defense which caused him to only make one three-pointer out of seven attempts. Nonetheless, Tatum was very dominant on offense.

This outburst against the 76ers rank the Celtics star fifth all-time in having the most 25-point games in the NBA Playoffs, via StatMuse. Only four players are ahead of him and it is legendary company: LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Dwyane Wade. If Tatum keeps this up, he might be able to usurp these legends and notch a higher rank among all scorers in the history of the NBA Playoffs.

Moreover, Coach Joe Mazzulla also saw Tatum become an all-arounder for the Celtics. He was able to dish out seven assists which helped guys like Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, and Derrick White get their offensive rhythm going. On the defensive side of the ball, the Celtics star also had a masterclass. He was able to grab 11 rebounds and prevented the 76ers from getting any sort of momentum with his two steals.

Tatum is not new to winning and he knows what it takes to win a Larry O'Brien trophy. Will he be able to lead the Celtics to a 19th banner less than a year after tearing his Achilles?