Jayson Tatum Stuns LeBron James With Throwback Slam Against Philadelphia

A familiar poster moment

Jayson Tatum provided a huge highlight on Tuesday night that had basketball fans talking. Midway through the third quarter of Boston's game against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Boston Celtics forward made a move toward the basket. He split a double team with quick movement and drove directly into the paint.

Waiting for him near the rim was LeBron James, who is soon to be 42 years old. Tatum rose up over James and slammed the ball home with one hand. It was an emphatic finish right over the defender. As soon as his feet touched the floor, Tatum turned and proudly banged his chest to celebrate the score.

Flashback to his rookie year

The big play felt like a replay of history. It immediately brought back memories of Tatum's rookie season back in 2018. During Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, Tatum pulled off a very similar slam directly over James. After that 2018 dunk, the rookie bumped James with his chest after landing.

Boston's social media team wasted no time posting clips of the new dunk online. They captioned the video clips with the phrases rookie year throwback and he did it AGAIN.

The contest carried an extra storyline as well. Tatum was playing against his former teammate Jaylen Brown for the first time since Brown was traded to Philadelphia during the summer. Tatum played with great energy and aggressive intent all evening long. The big slam brought his individual scoring total up to 18 points.

What it means for the next game

Boston Celtics at Toronto Raptors (NBA, Thu, 12 Nov): Toronto Raptors win 40%, Boston Celtics win 60%; projected score Toronto Raptors 108, Boston Celtics 111. Our safest pick: Celtics +5.5.

Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers (NBA, Fri, 13 Nov): Philadelphia 76ers win 43%, Toronto Raptors win 57%; projected score Philadelphia 76ers 113, Toronto Raptors 115. Our safest pick: Raptors +6.5.