Tatum became first Celtics player since Bird to achieve this feat originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Making Celtics history is not easy. This historic franchise has been home to many Hall of Fame players and coaches since its first season in 1946-47.
Jayson Tatum managed to make team history Saturday night by joining a statistical group occupied only by Larry Bird. Tatum scored 29 points with seven rebounds and three assists as the Celtics swept their back-to-back with the Charlotte Hornets to improve to 6-1.
Tatum has tallied 210-plus points, 50-plus rebounds and 30-plus assists through the first seven games of the season. Bird is the only other player in Celtics history to achieve that kind of stat line in the first seven games of a campaign.
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Larry Bird, 1984-85: 216 points, 67 rebounds, 40 assists
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Jayson Tatum, 2024-25: 212 points, 53 rebounds, 32 assists
Bird’s 216 points in 1984-85 are the most ever by a Celtics player through the first seven games of a season. Tatum ranks second and third on that list with 212 points this season and 211 points in 2022-23.
Bird eventually finished the 1984-85 season averaging 28.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game en route to his second of three straight league MVP awards. The Celtics reached the NBA Finals that season but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
Tatum is still pursuing his first MVP award, and he’s off to a good start with averages of 30.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game, while shooting 48.2 percent from the floor.
Tatum and the Celtics are back in action Monday night against the Hawks in Atlanta.
