The Boston Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors, 98-93, on Wednesday night... without Paul George...on the second night of a back-to-back... and after being down by as many as 22 points (Toronto was without Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes, but don't let the facts get in the way of a good story).
Probably the most intriguing part of the game, though, was that Jayson Tatum wasn't particularly great, either. At least as a scorer. In the win, he scored 24 points (which was actually a game-high, to be fair), but he shot 6-for-21 from the field (28.6%) and 2-for-11 from deep (18.2%).
Yet, the Celtics still pulled out the victory, which is impressive, given the circumstances and the fact that Toronto still has a great defense without its two stars.
Tatum was able to impact the game and play winning basketball despite shooting poorly, mainly because of his still-improving playmaking, and having someone like him makes it much more difficult for opposing teams to stop Boston's offense.
Jayson Tatum's playmaking remains a game-changer for the Celtics
On Wednesday night, the Duke alum dished out eight assists (game-high) and only turned the ball over twice. Tatum has always been a great playmaker and facilitator, especially for his position, but he has turned it up another level this season. His performance against Toronto was just the latest piece of evidence.
This season, Tatum is averaging 7.5 assists (which not only leads the Celtics, but it would also be a new career-high for him) to 2.8 turnovers per game. His improved numbers can be attributed to his increased usage, sure. But he also passes the eye test. He has greatly improved as a passer, and his court vision continues to improve seemingly on a nightly basis.
Tatum has so much gravity that even him just having the ball in his hands opens up opportunities for other players to get open. And because of how well he handles the point-forward role, the Celtics can feel confident that he can find the open guy and get the ball to him every time.
The St. Louis native doesn't need to shoot the ball efficiently to help the Celtics compete (it would obviously help, though -- his 41.3 FG% and 30.6 3FG% need to improve, even factoring in how much of a load he is carrying offensively), because he can impact the game in other ways. This is especially true about his playmaking.
Tatum is Boston's main offensive hub, and there's a reason the team is at its best when he has the ball in his hands as much as possible. He has incredible basketball IQ and provides so much value. He is a crucial part of the Celtics' success, and he is showing that he is only getting better.
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