Jayson Tatum's 'Ridiculous' 51-Point Game vs. Hornets Leaves Celtics Fans in Awe

With Jaylen Brown missing his third straight game because of right adductor tightness, the onus was on Jayson Tatum to carry the scoring load Monday afternoon against the Charlotte Hornets.

He was more than up to the task.

Tatum absolutely went off to the tune of 51 points, nine rebounds and five assists, leading the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics to a 130-118 win at Spectrum Center. It was the fifth 50-point game of his career.

Tatum was feeling it from deep in particular, shooting 7-of-12 from three.

Derrick White chipped in with 19 points and eight assists, while Malcolm Brogdon added 16 points off the bench. Tatum's big night spoiled Jalen McDaniels' career-high 26-point performance, while LaMelo Ball added 25 points and six assists.

But all the buzz on Twitter during and after the game revolved around the Celtics' star:

Tatum finished 15-of-23 from the field and hit all 14 of his free throws. The only possible critique of his performance was his four turnovers, and honestly, nobody thought twice about that. This was as complete a showing as you'll see.

In the process, Boston claimed its seventh straight win, moving the Celtics to an NBA-best 33-12 on the season. Again, without Tatum's running mate, Brown.

Yes, his huge performance came against the struggling Hornets (11-34), one of the bigger disappointments in the NBA this season.

But 50 points is 50 points. Tatum put on a clinic for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, kicking off a full day of NBA action in absolute style.