Pierce predicts Tatum will be among all-time Celtics greats

Jayson Tatum's playoff brilliance has been one of the driving forces behind the Boston Celtics' unexpected run to a 3-2 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers and the brink of an NBA Finals appearance.

Tatum, who only recently turned 20, has averaged 18.4 points and 4.3 rebounds on 46.3 percent shooting through his first 17 career playoff games. The rookie has quickly announced his presence as a small forward who could follow in the footsteps of Boston icon Paul Pierce.

Pierce, for his part, believes Tatum will one day be a legendary figure in Celtic lore.

“I think he’s going to be one of the great players in Celtic history,” Pierce told Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. "He’s mature beyond his years. He doesn’t look rattled by the moment. Sometimes you see rookies have problems when they get to this point. I saw Ben Simmons against the Celtics, and it looked like the moment was too big for him. He was wide-eyed out there. He looked confused."

Tatum has seemingly improved round-by-round this spring. His apex came in Game 5 against Cleveland, scoring a team-high 24 points, along with seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals in a pivotal win.

Pierce also excelled in his first postseason, averaging 24.6 points and 8.6 rebounds in 16 games, but was a fourth-year veteran by that point. With the way Tatum has been playing, Pierce sees a reflection of himself in the Duke product.

"Oh, I see a lot of myself in him,” Pierce said. “It just seems like he’s outsmarting his opponent all the time. He’s constantly thinking, how can he get his shot off? He can get his shot any time he wants, he’s great in that mid-range area, he’s very deceptive, and he’s showing me a lot."

Pierce, of course, had a memorable playoff performance against Cleveland in Game 7 of the 2008 East semifinals, and Boston fans will surely be hoping Tatum can make his mark on a closeout game against the Cavaliers on Friday.