"Dreamed of playing at Staples": Jayson Tatum recounts memories as a Kobe Bryant and Lakers fan after Christmas Day win

Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics have just won back-to-back games at Crypto.com Arena. They drubbed the LA Clippers 145-108 on Saturday before beating the LA Lakers, 126-115 on Christmas Day. The win improved Boston’s NBA-best record to 23-6.

Tatum was one of six Celtics players to finish with at least 10 points. The All-NBA forward finished with 25 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and one block. He played nearly the entire game to lead Boston past its historically greatest rival.

After the game, Jayson Tatum had this to say about what it means to play against the Lakers on the road (via Mark Medina):

“It’s a dream come true. I never take these moments for granted. As a kid, I watched the Lakers my whole life growing up. I always dreamed of playing at Staples Center so any opportunity I get to, I cherish those moments playing in the building that my idol played in.”

The four-time All-Star grew up idolizing the late great Kobe Bryant, but never got the chance to play against the legendary Laker. “KB24” retired after the 2015-16 season, while Tatum entered the league in 2017, following a one-year stay at Duke.

Jayson Tatum and any team playing on the road against the LA Lakers will no longer be going up against them at Staples Center. The venue was renamed the Crypto.com Arena in 2021. Two years ago, the arena’s new logo was unveiled when the Lakers hosted the Brooklyn Nets.

Despite the name change, many will still call the venue “Staples Center,” the house that Shaq and Kobe built. Tatum wanted to honor his idol and put on a show against the iconic player’s former team.

Tonight’s game was the third Christmas Day meeting between the storied rivals. The Minneapolis Lakers beat the Celtics in 1951 and repeated in 2008. Tatum and Co. improved the franchise’s record to 1-2 with the win.

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Jayson Tatum and Boston Celtics have been nearly unbeatable in December

The Boston Celtics hold a 9-2 record in December. Their first loss was to the Indiana Pacers in the quarterfinals of the NBA In-Season Tournament. The next blemish came at the hands of the Golden State Warriors last Dec. 19.

The Celtics could finish the rest of the month unbeaten. Their next three opponents will be the Detroit Pistons (2-27), Toronto Raptors (11-18) and San Antonio Spurs (4-24). The games against the Pistons and the Raptors will be in Boston, where they have not lost in 14 games. San Antonio is the worst team in the NBA in offensive rating and has a bottom-five defense.

There is a very big chance that Jayson Tatum's Boston Celtics will finish this month with a 12-2 win-loss slate.