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Brotherhood Playoff Watch: Down To One

As Jayson Tatum sends Grayson Allen home for the summer.

Milwaukee Bucks v Boston Celtics - Game Seven
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 15: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics gestures during the fourth quarter in Game Seven of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden on May 15, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

In the end, it wasn’t that close really.

In the final Jayson vs. Grayson game of the playoffs

Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics blew out Milwaukee Bucks 109-81.

At the half, Boston was up 48-43. In the second half, the Celtics just pulled away. Milwaukee just didn’t have enough help for Giannis Antekokounmpo.

Tatum had a solid game but it wasn’t as explosive as he has been. Then again, he didn’t need to be.

He had plenty of help.

Boston thus moves on to face Miami and the Heat have the home-court advantage. It’s a very different sort of team and challenge.

However, we’d think the Celtics would be favored and we’d expect a finals matchup with the C’s and the Golden State Warriors.

If Boston doesn't win the title, you can’t talk about Tatum’s place in the franchise’s storied history because you really have to win titles to get into that club.

But if they do, you can and that’s an interesting question.

The first thing is that he’s still so young and will presumably play at a high level for a long time to come.

But leaving that aside for the moment, where would he rank?

Clearly he’d be behind Bill Russell and Larry Bird. He’d probably be behind Kevin McHale, Dave Cowens and John Havlicek too.

But if he wins titles and continues to improve, Tatum has a chance to move into third place. And with Boston, that’s really saying something.