Jaylen Brown celebrated the Boston Celtics' 50-win season with a pointed message to critics, calling it '50 wins in a gap year' after clinching a playoff berth with a 114-99 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Brown, who sat out with left Achilles tendinitis, took to social media to mock those who doubted the team after Jayson Tatum's season-ending injury.

The Celtics have now reached the 50-win mark for the fifth consecutive season, extending their playoff streak to 12 years - the longest active run in the NBA. Boston's resurgence comes despite trading key players Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in the offseason and losing Tatum to an Achilles tear in last year's playoffs. The team has won three straight games, including a victory over the league-leading Thunder.

Tatum, who scored 32 points in the clinching win, became the youngest player in Celtics history to reach 14,000 career points. The All-Star has led Boston to a 9-2 record since returning from injury, with the Celtics now positioned as legitimate title contenders. 'I've had to work my (tail) off just to run up and down the floor,' Tatum said of his recovery process.