Despite facing shooting woes in the playoffs, Jayson Tatum’s influence on the court for the Boston Celtics continues to be profound.
Through the initial six playoff games, Tatum’s shooting percentage stands at 40.6%, a figure compounded by a 25% success rate from three-point range.
However, his significance to the team extends far beyond his scoring efficiency. Tatum boasts the second-highest plus-minus rating in the playoffs, showcasing his value beyond the box score.
Tatum’s all-around contribution is on full display
While his scoring output might not have reached its usual heights, Tatum’s ability to create opportunities for his teammates and dominate defensively proved pivotal in Boston’s victory.
“There’s so many eyes on him – they want to take things away, make things tough, he knows that,” said Payton Pritchard while discussing Tatum’s impact as a passer on Wednesday at the Auerbach Center. “(It) allows us to do our job and hit easy shots.”
“People can have bad shooting nights, but what is he doing – he had some great defensive plays. He made the easy passes, which led to assists – big rebounds, had 11 rebounds. It’s just the casuals who think it’s only about just the shots. There’s so many areas he can affect the game – if he only ends up with 18 points, but we win by 25 points, he was really impactful,” Pritchard added, emphasizing Tatum’s overall contribution.
Payton Pritchard on Jayson Tatum:
“People can have bad shooting nights, but what is he doing? He had some great defensive plays. He made the easy passes which led to assists – big rebounds.”
“It’s just the casuals who think it’s only about just the shots.” pic.twitter.com/GaDHyHmeYg
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzellNBA) May 8, 2024
Despite criticism regarding his shooting performance, Tatum’s coach and teammates remain steadfast in their support, recognizing the quality of his shot selection and urging him to maintain his offensive aggressiveness.
“I think he’s taken really good shots. I just think they’re not falling and urge him to continue to take those, and they’ll fall,” stated the Celtics’ bench boss, highlighting his confidence in Tatum’s abilities.
Moreover, Tatum’s coach highlighted his willingness to adapt to defensive schemes, emphasizing his commitment to impacting the game on both ends of the floor.
“I don’t think he’s being forced to do anything,” voiced Joe Mazzulla on Tuesday. “He was 1.6 as a screener in our offense yesterday, so that would be the best offense in the history of the world. And he had 11 potential assists, and he had 18 points and three blocks.”
He added, “So, I think he’s doing a great job of taking what the defense (is) giving and finding any way to impact the game on both ends of the floor, and that’s what we need him to be, and I think he’s doing a really good job of it.”
