When Raymond Felton once said, “MJ… Kobe, LeBron, all these guys. Like, the way he used to score at every level… Nobody was better,” he wasn’t talking about just anyone — he was putting Carmelo Anthony right there among the greatest ever. Felton even suggested Melo was a better scorer than them. So, when Jayson Tatum finds himself being compared to the former New York Knicks star, you know it’s no small compliment. But what exactly ties these two stars together?
The comparison came from none other than former NBA champion Antoine Walker during one of his appearances on Run It Back. After Tatum’s dominant showing against the Orlando Magic, where he piled up 37 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 assists in Game 3 of the Playoffs Round 1, the show’s official Instagram page spotlighted Walker’s perspective. Beyond just highlighting Tatum’s skill, Walker took a stand against some of the negative chatter that’s occasionally followed the Celtics forward.
“I disagree with it. I just think he doesn’t necessarily have a flashy game. He has a good mid-range, he can shoot the three… Kind of like Carmelo Anthony,” Walker said on Run It Back. “I just knew after the Olympic situation, you would see the next couple years of Tatum playing at a very high level, which he’s doing right now…”
Tatum’s leap since the Olympics says it all. He went from putting up just 5.3 points, 5.3 boards, and 1.5 assists during the tournament to flat-out dominating. Since October 9, 2024, he’s been averaging a monster 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists over 72 games — a huge jump that proves just how much he’s elevated his game.
Jan 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) walks off the court after his team lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Of course, Tatum hasn’t had an easy ride when it comes to public opinion. Names like Gilbert Arenas, Lou Williams, and Penny Hardaway have critiqued him in the past, suggesting players like Ja Morant and LaMelo Ball steal more highlights. Yet, if you’ve been watching, you know Tatum continues to let his game do the talking — just look at his back-to-back 35+ point performances against Orlando as proof.
Jayson Tatum’s back-to-back playoff performances earn him a unique record
When a player puts up historic numbers in the playoffs, you know you’re witnessing something special. And according to Celtics stats guru Dick Lipe, Jayson Tatum just pulled off something no one in NBA playoff history ever has — back-to-back games with at least 35 points, 12 made free throws, and a perfect 1.000 free-throw percentage.
It’s even crazier when you realize he dropped 36 points and nailed all 12 free throws in Game 3, despite being a game-time decision because of a wrist injury. But the wrist issues didn’t just end there. In Game 4’s fourth quarter, Tatum tweaked it again. For a moment, fans must have held their breath. Still, the Celtics star pushed through, showing no signs of slowing down when it mattered most.
In fact, it was the 27-year-old’s fourth quarter that turned heads even more. Dropping 16 points when the pressure was highest, he refused to get rattled even when Orlando amped up the physicality. A bumping incident with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — the same player responsible for the wrist injury back in Game 2 — earned both players technical fouls. But Tatum? He simply laughed off a light shove, as if daring KCP to try harder.
No surprise that Kristaps Porzingis, who chipped in 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, couldn’t help but admire Jayson Tatum’s growth. “The three that he hit towards the end of the game, I thought to myself, ‘This guy is special,’” Porzingis said. “From when I got here to now, he’s developed even more of a killer instinct.”
With moments like these, it’s no wonder fans are starting to whisper comparisons between Tatum and legends like Carmelo Anthony—a mid-range maestro, who was as dangerous while driving to the basket, and was a lights-out shooter from deep.
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