Jayson Tatum actually played a back-to-back-to-back-to-back in college this year -- during Duke's four-game, four-day march through the ACC tournament.
So one part of NBA life isn't totally foreign to the rookie.
Games on consecutive days are going to be a common thing for Tatum going forward, and he knows it's going to be an adjustment. He struggled with his shot at times Sunday, but he did enough to help the Boston Celtics beat the Portland Trail Blazers 70-64 in the Las Vegas Summer League -- on a day when he was the marquee attraction.
"The back-to-back, the quick turnaround, I definitely felt it today, sluggish and tired," Tatum said. "But we got the win."
With No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz's time in summer league now over because of a sprained ankle, and with No. 2 selection Lonzo Ball and the Los Angeles Lakers having the day off, Tatum -- the third overall pick in last month's draft -- had plenty of eyeballs on him during Day 3 in Vegas.
His shot wasn't there, but his game was.
Tatum had 11 points and seven rebounds and showed off his defensive knack again. The Celtics shot only 38 percent but improved to 2-0.
Boston played its first game in Las Vegas on Saturday, topping Ball and the Lakers.
A day later, it was back to work.
Tatum shot 4-for-11, missing his final six shots. He gets a day off Monday, before returning Tuesday when Boston faces Philadelphia -- in what could have been a reprise of the Tatum-Fultz matchup in a summer game in Salt Lake City last week. But the 76ers announced Sunday that Fultz likely will need up to a couple of weeks for his ankle to heal, so his summer is done.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
