Career highs are an interesting statistic to look at when looking at different players, especially scorers. While it’s not the most important part of a player’s career, it is a fun detail. The NBA champion Boston Celtics are full of talented players with a ton of talented scorers. Let’s take a closer look at the career highs of each current Celtics player.
Career highs for all current Boston Celtic players
Jayson Tatum: 60 points vs. San Antonio Spurs April 30, 2021
The 2020-21 season was a strange one for the Celtics, who finished in seventh place, but Jayson Tatum’s 60-point performance in a 32-point comeback win was a big part of it. San Antonio The Spurs will always be remembered for their 60-point outburst, which included 21 in the fourth quarter and 10 in overtime, leading to a 143-140 victory. In addition to his 60 points, Tatum also had eight rebounds and five assists. Tatum’s 60-point game tied him with Larry Bird for the most points scored in a single game by a Celtics player.
Jrue Holiday: 51 vs. Indiana Pacers March 29, 2023
July Holiday is a player who shows great all-around play. Many people know about Holiday’s great defense, but his shooting creativity and scoring ability are often forgotten. His scoring ability was on full display when Holiday was a member of the Milwaukee Bucks in the second half of the 2022-23 season. Holiday scored a career-high 51 points in a 149-136 win over the Indiana Pacers. In addition, Holiday also recorded eight rebounds and an assist. Of note, Giannis Antetokounmpo also recorded a triple-double with 38 points.
Jaylen Brown: 50 points vs. Orlando Magic January 2, 2022
Jaylen Brown’s ability to score at high volume from anywhere on the court is invaluable to the Celtics. On January 2, 2022, Brown exploded for 50 points in a 116-111 overtime win against the Orlando Magic. Importantly, Brown shouldered the offensive burden while Tatum was absent. Brown also provided an all-around impact, recording 11 rebounds, four assists, and five three-pointers. What’s impressive is that Brown’s 50-point outburst included a staggering 21-point fourth quarter as well as a number of clutch shots.
Kristaps Porzingis: 43 vs. Atlanta Hawks March 8, 2023
Kristaps Porzingis’ career highs came during his time with the Washington Wizards. The 7’2″ big man recorded seven three-pointers, five rebounds and five assists in a two-point loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Porzingis’ seven three-pointers highlighted his excellent positional shooting. Incredibly, Porzingis finished the game with an astounding 92.2 percent true shooting percentage.
Derrick White: 38 vs. Miami Heat April 29, 2024
Derrick White’s importance to the team was on full display last season and throughout Boston’s championship run. In the Celtics’ first-round series against the Heat, White played the best basketball of his career. White averaged 22.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists. But he really exploded in the Game 4 win, scoring a career-high 38 points, including eight three-pointers. Ironically, White’s second-highest scoring game came in the 2019 playoffs, when he scored 36 points as a member of the Spurs in a Game 3 win over the Denver Nuggets. Excluding the playoffs, White’s career-high is his 33 points against the Charlotte Hornets in February 2023.
Payton Pritchard: 38 vs. Washington Wizards April 14, 2024
Fan favorite Payton Pritchard is known for his scoring prowess as a reserve player. With the Celtics starters sidelined for the 2024 regular season finale, it was Pritchard’s turn to step up. He led the charge with 38 points and four three-pointers. Pritchard also had 12 rebounds and nine assists, nearly making a three-pointer. The Celtics defeated the Wizards, 132-122, for their 64th win of the season.
Al Horford: 34 (x 2)
Al Horford’s consistency and leadership have been essential to the success of the Celtics. Given Al’s incredible consistency, it’s no surprise that he set two career highs. Not only did Horford score 34 points in two games, but he also scored exactly 15 points in both games. Both of his career highs came with the Hawks, the team Horford played in for the majority of his prime. The first was on February 27, 2013 against the Utah Jazz, and the second was on December 13 against the Washington Wizards. Notably, in the second game, Al hit a buzzer-beater in overtime to seal the Hawks victory.
Lonnie Walker: 31 vs. Milwaukee Bucks March 20, 2021
Newly signed Lonnie Walker is a talented scorer with great athleticism. With the Spurs in the 2020-21 season, Walker played in a career-high 38 games and scored a career-high 31 points in a mid-March win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Walker made five three-pointers and shot 73.8% true from the field.
Sam Hauser: 30 vs. Washington Wizards March 17, 2024
Sam Hauser is one of the best spot-up shooters in the league. During this season’s St. Patrick’s Day special, Hauser was knocked unconscious by a three-point shot. The 6’8″ shooter had made 10 three-pointers in just 23 minutes before leaving the game with an injury. Hauser would have made even more three-pointers had he not been injured. It’s worth noting that Hauser finished the game with an astounding true shooting percentage of 115.4%.
Luke Kornet: 25 vs. Philadelphia 76ers February 9, 2020
Luke Kornet has been a rotation big man for the Celtics for the past few years, but he has also played for the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers. From 2019 to 2020, Kornet started 14 of 36 games for the Bulls. In February 2020, he recorded a career-high 25 points in 29 minutes.
Xavier Tillman: 22 vs. Los Angeles Lakers April 19, 2023
The Celtics acquired Xavier Tillman from the Memphis Grizzlies at the last trade deadline. Though he only averages 13.7 minutes per game, Tillman’s high IQ and well-rounded skill set make him an attractive option for a rotation role, especially with Porzingis missing the season opener. Additionally, with the Grizzlies, Tillman has proven he can help win basketball games. In Game 2 against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023, Tillman scored a career-high 22 points, had 13 rebounds and three assists. Tillman’s regular season career high is 20, and he has scored two separate times.
Neemias Keta: 19 vs. Washington Wizards April 14, 2024
Neemias Keta is a mobile young big man. Keta was given ample playing time in the 2024 regular season finale and he did not disappoint. In 20 minutes, he recorded 19 points, 9 rebounds and 6 blocks to help the Celtics finish the regular season on a high.
Springer: 19 vs. Atlanta Hawks April 7, 2023
Jaden Springer is an intriguing young guard. Springer is already an NBA-caliber defender, but his offensive prowess needs catching up. Joining the Philadelphia 76ers late in 2023, Springer showed glimpses of what he could become by demonstrating his consistency offensively. As a starter, Springer scored 19 points in 44 minutes in an overtime win over the Hawks.
