Hornets announcer loses it as Duke basketball product scores 50
Jayson Tatum is only 24 years old. As of his 51 points in the Boston Celtics' 130-118 win at the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, the former Duke basketball one-and-done has already posted five 50-point outings in regular-season games since going No. 3 overall at the 2017 NBA Draft.
RELATED: Ranking all 26 Duke one-and-dones in history
His fifth broke a tie with legend Larry Bird for the most in franchise history (no other Celtics player in history has tallied more than one regular-season 50-point performance).
This time, Tatum shot a blistering 15-for-23 from the field, 7-for-12 beyond the arc, and 14-for-14 from the charity stripe. He added nine points and five assists in 40 minutes on the floor.
As he sank his final make of the game — a 3-pointer amidst a pair of futile Charlotte defenders — Hornets play-by-play announcer Eric Collins, like most of the crowd, showed appreciation with an emphatic yet defeated response.
"Hornets need to put all of their eggs on Tatum," Collins pleaded just before Tatum delivered the dagger with 38.0 seconds remaining in the contest. "Oh my god! Everyone in the building knew it was coming, and he still hit the three. Good golly!"
Although Jayson Tatum had scored 40 or more six times this season on his way to setting the Celtics record for the most points in the first half of a campaign, Monday was his first 50-point performance for the 2022-23 Boston Celtics (33-12), who have now won seven straight and own the league's record.
Meanwhile, the two former Duke basketball big men on the Hornets roster, veteran Mason Plumlee and rookie Mark Williams, each had a solid stat line.
RELATED: List of every Blue Devil currently in the NBA
Plumlee, who has played and started in all 45 games for the Charlotte Hornets (11-34), notched his 17th double-double this season with 19 points and 12 rebounds, in addition to seven assists in 31 minutes. Williams, now Plumlee's primary backup, finished with nine points and six boards in 17 minutes.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for daily Duke basketball content.