Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum shows he can hit daggers
By Sam Minton
Everyone around the NBA knows that Jayson Tatum is a great player, but there been one part of his game that has been lacking. That’s why Tatum’s performance for the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night was so important.
Tatum is having another great season for the Celtics. It seems that he gets better and better each and every year.
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So far in 2021, Tatum is averaging 25.9 points and 7.1 rebounds a game. The 23-year-old is also shooting 45 percent from the field.
Tatum’s performance against Portland was particularly pleasing. He racked up 32 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.
But there is one shot that is most important for Tatum, the last one of the game.
Jayson Tatum showing he can be the guy for the Boston Celtics
One part of Tatum’s game that has been lacking is his clutch ability. When it comes to taking the final shot, Tatum hasn’t been successful or was more willing to defer to other players. Part of the reason that the Celtics acquired Kemba Walker was due to his big shot ability.
But on Tuesday night, Celtics fans got to see what Tatum is capable of. He hit the final shot that iced the game away for Boston.
If Tatum is going to be the guy in Boston, he needs to be relied upon at the end of games. If the Celtics can’t trust him, they seriously need to wonder if he is worth the long-term investment.
There’s also the fact that Tatum seems to be maturing as a player.
When Boston was struggling, Tatum didn’t have the best body language and wasn’t playing quality basketball. He was taking bad shots and even ended up getting called out by former Celtic Kendrick Perkins.
Now Tatum could have gone on social media and been mad online, but he didn’t. Perkins revealed that Tatum spoke with Perk and there is no issue between the two.
Tatum showed maturity and also that he knows he needs to be better. That’s exactly what you want out of your leader.
Also on the court, Tatum is just playing so much better. Besides putting up over 50 points recently, Tatum isn’t settling for bad shots anymore. Instead, he is driving to the rim and making plays.
So Jayson Tatum seems to be getting better and better. The young star is proving that Danny Ainge made the right decision signing Tatum to a long-term deal. He could be the reason that the Boston Celtics lift another banner in the near future.