3 Celtics who must lock in vs Hawks in 2023 NBA Playoffs opening round
3. Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum must be the best player on the court
Due to the depth of the Boston Celtics, they can take care of this Hawks team if Jayson Tatum isn’t at his best.
However, given the uncertainly of Jaylen Brown who will be coming back from a deep cut on his hand, Tatum has to be locked in and be ready to take over the game offensively. He is the one player who can match points and shots with Trae Young.
Above that, Tatum will be looking to avenge his last playoff memory which was a poor performance in the 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. That loss and how he performed left a bad taste in his mouth. He took vengeance on the NBA during the regular season with MVP-type performances in several games.
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That all means nothing if it doesn’t translate to the postseason. Atlanta can be dangerous if they get a glimpse that they can win this series. Tatum as the best player on the court has to make sure that doesn’t happen.
In scoring 34 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in his last matchup against the Hawks, Tatum showed he can be unstoppable scoring the ball, but also a factor on the boards and with his playmaking. In that same game, he dished out 6 assists.
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Again, due to the depth of the Celtics, Tatum does not have to score 40 points a game. It’s the other ways he can help the team win that can make this a quick series.