Jayson Tatum is in a slump.
Heading into the holidays, the Celtics two-time All-Star was making a strong case for a third straight trip to the midseason classic. In December, Tatum averaged nearly 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists a game on 46/36/86 splits that culminated in an Eastern Conference Player of the Week nod just before Christmas. He outdueled Giannis Antetokounmpo in a thrashing of the defending champs with 42 points that included 7 for 13 from behind the arc.
But after a Christmas showdown where the Celtics nearly beat the Bucks for the third time this season (Tatum had a cool 25/9/4), he was placed in the league’s health and safety protocols with his second bout with COVID in less than a year.