It’s been quite the start to the month of March for Jayson Tatum.
He’s averaging 42 points per game in a quartet of victories over playoff-picture foes. He’s out-dueled MVP-level competition including Trae Young, Ja Morant, and Kevin Durant while dominating the fourth quarter in four straight games.
But the surest sign that Tatum is evolving into an elite NBA superstar: He might also have found a signature celebration.
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Celtics-Hornets takeaways: Tatum's ridiculous run continues
Tatum has been capping game-sealing fourth-quarter buckets by emphatically blowing kisses to the crowd. He did it against Memphis, brought it back against the Nets and took it on the road for the first time during Wednesday’s win in Charlotte.
And it might stick around moving forward.
“I did it once and then I went home and [Tatum’s son] Deuce started imitating me,” Tatum told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin in his walk-off interview. "I think that’s the new thing.”
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Tatum scored 16 of his game-high 44 points in the fourth quarter as Boston raced away in Charlotte. Over the last four games, he’s averaged 15 points per game in the final frame, more than double his season average (7.3).
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The Celtics, one of the NBA’s worst crunch-time teams over the first three months of the season, have made tremendous strides in late-game situations. Over the last two months, Boston is 5-2 in crunch-time games since falling three games under .500 on Jan. 6 in 108-105 loss to the Knicks. Tatum’s ability to carry the offense in those moments has been a major reason for that surge.
And now Tatum is blowing kisses each time he gets the team to the finish line of another win.