Although there is a thirteen-year age gap between Jayson Tatum and LeBron James, it feels like they have been on-court rivals for ages. Maybe, its because JT’s first career defining moment came when he dunked on King James during Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals as a rookie. The two superstars have been linked ever since. And they locked horns once again last night during the Lakers vs Celtics clash. However, this meeting felt extra special for Tatum because he had no idea how many more faceoffs he has left with LBJ.

Well, James is 40 years old and the bitter reality is that he could hang his boots any time now. Realizing this made Tatum cherish the moment even more, as he couldn’t stop singing praises of the four-time champion postgame, “You know somebody that I’ve been watching LeBron play my whole life. Playoff battles, some good regular season battles against each other. Somebody I have a really great relationship with.”

Apart from their NBA rivalry, Tatum and LeBron have also played together for Team USA and even bagged an Olympic gold in Paris last year. And the Celtics star understands the impact LBJ has had on the sport and beyond the hardwood, “You know just respect the guys that came before you and paved the way. Can’t say enough good things about obviously what he’s done and accomplished and what he means to the game of basketball. So, as a fan, as a competitor, those moments that you get to play against him, you should cherish and you should go out there and compete.”

Of course, the icing on the cake for LeBron and Tatum’s recent battles is that they are representing the two biggest franchises in the league, who have a historic rivalry of their own. And Tatum believes reigniting it could even save the NBA!

Jayson Tatum claims NBA is a “Better Place” when Lakers and Celtics are Good

Since the start of this season, there have been major concerns about the league’s declining viewership. Even Magic Johnson pointed out that the reason behind it is that there are no ongoing rivalries to engage the audience anymore. However, things could change if the epic Lakers vs Celtics rivalry gets reignited.

Even Tatum said it after last night’s game, “NBA is a better place when the Lakers and Celtics are good.” He also reiterated his excitement in the postgame presser, “Prime Time game Saturday night. It was fun as a fan, as a competitor. The games you wanna be a part of. It’s still the regular season and they only count as one but it was a lot of fun being out there.”

Tatum had an incredible game last night as he dropped a 40-point double-double to lead his team to a blowout victory. Moreover, now that Luka Doncic is a Laker, who is close in age to Tatum, there is a high chance that the two franchises can remain on top for the foreseeable future and rekindle the memories of the iconic Larry Bird-Magic Johnson rivalry. Surely, a Lakers vs Celtics NBA Finals series will skyrocket the ratings through the roof and end all concerns for Adam Silver. Do you agree?