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Jayson Tatum 3-point celebration, explained: Why Celtics star grabs wrist after made jumpers

Gilbert McGregor

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Jayson Tatum 3-point celebration, explained: Why Celtics star grabs wrist after made jumpers image

As the Celtics continue their NBA title defense, superstar forward Jayson Tatum is playing some of the best basketball of his career.

Tatum closed Boston's first-round series with 36, 37 and 35 points, joining Larry Bird as just the second player in franchise history with three straight playoff games of 35-plus points. Tatum's efforts are all the more impressive when considering he turned those games in while playing through an injury that caused him to miss Game 2.

Since returning to the lineup, Tatum has kept his injury at the front of everyone's mind by incorporating it into his new 3-point celebration. It hasn't taken long to catch on, and it could be something that sticks throughout Boston's playoff run in 2025.

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Here's more on Tatum's new 3-point celly and how it came to be.

Jayson Tatum's 3-point celebration, explained

After a made 3-pointer, Tatum raises both arms and uses his left hand to grab his right wrist. He began putting the celebration on display after returning to the lineup from a bruised right wrist sustained in Game 1 of Boston's first-round series.

"I mean, I missed Game 2 — shoutout to the rook, man, Baylor [Scheierman], he came up with the celebration when I hit a 3," Tatum explained after Game 4. "I think people are taking notice, and it's a new thing for now."

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Tatum hit 11 of 25 (44.0%) of his 3s in Games 3 through 5, including a jumper over a Paolo Banchero contest in the closeout Game 5.

The celebration has quickly caught on among the Celtics and fans alike, with the team's official account sharing a photo of Tatum grabbing his wrist with a post that read "SERIES OVER."

The wrist grab shifts away from Tatum's usual 3-point celebration that sees him blow a kiss with three fingers to celebrate the shot. As his wrist heals, keep an eye out for whether the grab is there to stay or if he'll shift back to tradition.

MORE: Why Knicks' Jalen Brunson covers his face after made 3-pointers

Jayson Tatum wrist injury

In Game 1 of Boston's first-round playoff series with Orlando, Tatum injured his right wrist on a hard fall following a dunk attempt. As he rose to finish above the rim, Tatum was met by two Magic defenders, whose attempt to make a play on the ball led to an awkward fall.

Tatum's attempt to brace himself resulted in him landing on his right hand, causing a wrist injury that was revealed to be a right distal radius bone bruise.

Serious as the injury sounded, Tatum only missed Game 2 of the series, though it was the first missed playoff game of his eight-year NBA career. Despite the injury, Tatum averaged 36.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists in Games 3 through 5 of the series.

He'll look to build upon that when Boston faces the Knicks in the East semifinals.

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.