After exiting the playoffs early last year, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics are back with a vengeance this season by becoming the NBA’s best team. Turns out, the All-Star forward deserves a lot more credit than what most people think.

As seen in Boston’s recent 124-113 win over the Chicago Bulls, Tatum is definitely the team’s primary key to success. In that game , the Celtics star notched 26 points, two rebounds, and six assists. Sam Hauser and Al Horford each had 23 points to help get the victory for their team.

The Bulls, meanwhile, had DeMar DeRozan lead the way with 28 points on 63 percent shooting from the field, six rebounds, and nine assists. Coby White added 11 points, five rebounds, and 10 assists over the course of 35 minutes on the floor.

This win helped Boston secure its hold on the league’s top spot and improve its record to 57-14. On the other hand, the Bulls are fighting for a playoff spot in ninth place with 34 wins and 37 losses.

One Insane Stat Proves Boston Celtics Star Jayson Tatum Deserves More Respect

Throughout their time together, Tatum and Jaylen Brown were responsible in turning Boston into a perennial playoff contender. But if a recent post from StatMuse is to be believed, it’s likely the former is the better piece to build on of the two.

“Jayson Tatum is 8-0 without Jaylen Brown this season,” StatMuse tweeted.

Brown, holder of the NBA’s most expensive contract at $303 million for five years, has been gone in eight games against various teams, such as the Bulls, Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons, and Philadelphia 76ers. Even without him in the lineup, Tatum managed to lift the Celtics to victories against those squads.

With the playoffs looming closer, the Celtics will need every man healthy and available if they want to win a ring. In case Brown goes down in the coming weeks, Boston will still have a reliable star in Tatum to count on.