Tatum Posters LeBron in Celtics’ 123-101 Win

Overview

• The dunk occurred Tuesday when Jayson Tatum rose for a one‑handed slam over LeBron James in the third quarter, a play that helped push Boston’s lead and immediately went viral.
• The Celtics won 123-101 and Tatum finished with 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks as Boston improved its early‑season record.
• Tatum said the dunk “felt good” and noted it had been about 19 months since he last dunked in a game, framing the play as a confidence boost in his recovery from a ruptured Achilles.
• Before tipoff Tatum and former teammate Jaylen Brown had a brief, cool exchange that Brown later downplayed, and both players are now set to meet again on Jan. 21 at TD Garden.
• The moment drew heavy social and media reaction, with fans and outlets comparing it to Tatum’s 2018 dunk on James and noting the odd coincidence that both occurred when the score was 71-67.