‘He has all the pieces’: Jayson Tatum’s development as a scorer on full show in blowout win towards Pacers

Celtics

“I feel he has all the pieces. He is only a full participant.”

It’s simply 4 video games into the season, however Jayson Tatum’s scoring capability seems much more refined than final 12 months when he grew to become the primary Celtic to common 30 factors in a season.

He’s clearly packed on muscle, giving him much more power to assault the rim and create area on post-ups. He’s taking pictures a scorching-hot 56 % from the sphere by means of his first 4 video games.

Tatum scored 21 of his team-high 30 factors by halftime of Wednesday’s 155-104 win towards Indiana. He went 9 for 15 from the ground, together with 3-for-5 from 3-point vary.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla stated he’s seeing a extra affected person model of Tatum this season, which helps his scoring output.

“Simply slowing down,” Mazzulla stated. “Simply taking what the protection offers him whether or not it’s a layup, or a paint shot, or whether or not it’s a catch-and-shoot 3. I feel he’s attending to his spot quicker and moving into his strikes quicker. When he sees the protection he’s slowing all the way down to make the suitable learn.”

Celtics guard Jrue Vacation, who spent the final three seasons taking part in towards Tatum and the Celtics as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, praised the completeness of Tatum’s sport.

He stated that nothing about Tatum’s sport has suprised him since becoming a member of the Celtics.

“I feel he has all the pieces. He’s only a full participant,” Vacation stated. “I feel that there have been occasions the place there was this false impression about taking part in towards him on protection, however I feel we’ve seen that he performs protection. He can lock up. He’s athletic, he has size, he’s capable of transfer his ft and slide.”

“And never solely that, you might have guys again there anchoring,” Vacation continued. “You’ve gotten D White, you might have me, you might have JB, taking part in protection and serving to one another. Offensively, although, he’s received all the pieces.”

The Celtics shot 57 % from 3-point vary as a group and had seven scorers in double-figures. Vacation stated Boston’s expertise makes the sport simpler for him, and that the group’s willingness to share the ball helps.

“I feel the ball has vitality,” Vacation stated. “I feel that’s how most individuals prefer to play basketball. Generally when it will get too stagnant, taking part in 1-on-1 it will possibly get fairly dry, however the ball has vitality. Whenever you’re transferring like that and curling to the basket, there’s a superb feeling of getting your man a bucket.”

Celtics guard Derrick White stated that Tatum and Jaylen Brown set their tone with their unselfishness and willingness to do the little issues.

“I feel JT is one in all our greatest screeners,” White stated. “He’s received everyone in the entire league like ‘The place’s JT at?’ So, for him to display and trigger that confusion for different groups is massive time for us. These guys will do no matter it takes for to win assist us on either side of the ball. They do all of the little issues for us as effectively.”