Jayson Tatum now has more 50-point games than anyone else in Celtics history

BOSTON -- Jayson Tatum continues to etch himself into Celtics history. With his 51-point outburst against the Hornets on Monday afternoon, Tatum now has more 50-point games than anyone else in Boston Celtics history.

That's kind of a big deal, considering Tatum passed Larry Bird on that list with Monday's scoring eruption. Bird dropped 50 points in a game four times in his Hall of Fame career, including his career-high 60-point game against the Atlanta Hawks in 1985. 

Tatum has now done it five times during regular season play, with another 50-point game in the playoffs and one in the NBA's play-in tournament. 

"It's been a while since I scored 50, so I needed that one," Tatum said after Monday's performance.

It hadn't been that long since we were treated to an offensive clinic from Tatum. He had 54 points in a win over the Nets last March, which came roughly six weeks after a 51-point explosion against the Wizards that really jump-started Tatum's stellar second half of the season and Boston's epic turnaround.

Here's a rundown of Tatum's biggest games thus far in his career:

60 points vs. Spurs, April 30, 2021 (143-140 win in overtime)
54 points vs. Nets, March 6, 2022 (126-120 win)
53 points vs. Timberwolves, April 9, 2021 (145-136 win in overtime)
51 points @ Hornets, January 16, 2023 (130-118 win)
51 points @ Wizards, January 23, 2022 (116-87 win)
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50 points vs. Nets, May 28, 2021 (125-119 win, first-round of playoffs)
50 points vs. Wizards, May 18, 2021 (118-100 win in play-in round)

Not too shabby for a 24-year-old. 

Monday afternoon was a masterpiece in efficiency, as Tatum needed just 23 shots to put up his 51 points. He hit 15 of those 23 shots, including 7-for-12 from downtown, and was a perfect 14-for-14 from the free-throw line. He scored 31 of his points after halftime to hold off a pesky Hornets charge in the second half, and went over the 50-point mark with a three in the final minute.

The Celtics don't have many 50-point games in the franchise's long history, with just 19 between 10 players. It's pretty impressive that Tatum owns five of them.

After Bird's four 50-point games, Isaiah Thomas and Sam Jones each hit the mark twice in green. John Havlicek, Bob Cousy, Kevin McHale, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Jaylen Brown all went for 50 once.

Tatum is now averaging 31.1 points per game this season, which ranks third in the NBA. He's a threat to go off on any given night, with seven games of 40 points or more and 24 games with at least 30 points. His 36 games of at least 25 points -- which included a streak of 13 straight -- leads the NBA. 

Tatum will of course need to add some banners to his resume to really take his spot with the likes of Bird, Havlicek, and Pierce as an all-time great Celtic. But he continues to bring his offense to a new level, and given his young age and the way the game is played today, he's already one of the best scorers to don a Boston uniform.

His offense keeps getting better too, which has Tatum firmly entrenched in this year's MVP race, and his name besides -- or above -- some of the best scorers in the Celtics' history books.