Better offensive player: Tatum or IT4 (poll)

[Tr1boy]

Just a fun comparison

Better passer?
Better shooter?
Better drive and finish?
Better clutch?

Better overall offensive player?

[Roy H.]

To date?  IT (2016-2017)

[gouki88]

Tatum is a better offensive player than 2015-16 IT. Isaiah was pretty darn inefficient that year.

2016-17 IT, however, is a much better player on offence than Tatum has ever been so far. IT was an MVP candidate in spite of being a terrible defender because his offence was that good.

[Tr1boy]

Tatum is a better offensive player than 2015-16 IT. Isaiah was pretty darn inefficient that year.

2016-17 IT, however, is a much better player on offence than Tatum has ever been so far. IT was an MVP candidate in spite of being a terrible defender because his offence was that good.

Though IT4 was inefficient, was he still a 4th quarter machine in 2015-2016?

I don't recall

[gouki88]

Tatum is a better offensive player than 2015-16 IT. Isaiah was pretty darn inefficient that year.

2016-17 IT, however, is a much better player on offence than Tatum has ever been so far. IT was an MVP candidate in spite of being a terrible defender because his offence was that good.

Though IT4 was inefficient, was he still a 4th quarter machine in 2015-2016?

I don't recall

He was likely good (always clutch), but he wasn't scoring 9 points per 4th quarter like he did the next season. 2016-17 IT was insane

[RodyTur10]

For me it's easily Isaiah. He really was something else on the offensive end.
That Boston team was scrappy and tough defensively, but they wouldn't have come far without Isaiah.
Isaiah Thomas was a top 5 NBA player offensively at his peak.

I don't think Tatum currently is even close to the top 10 offensively. Probably more 20-30, but Tatum is 20-30 on defense as well and that combination makes him a top 15-20 player.

[Who]

IT and it is not close. Huge advantages in ball-handling and passing. Better at getting to the FT line. Better off the ball. Better on the ball.  Better at drawing help defenders.

Tatum is the better overall player due to defense & rebounding.

[Tr1boy]

IT and it is not close. Huge advantages in ball-handling and passing. Better at getting to the FT line. Better off the ball. Better on the ball.  Better at drawing help defenders.

Tatum is the better overall player due to defense & rebounding.

*taps watch*

What I miss the most is if an opposing team started to punch the Celts and went on a run. IT4 wouldnt let that happen without putting up a fight/counter punches.

[slamtheking]

IT in his last season pre-injury had an offensive season that we haven't seen since Bird in his MVP years.  Tatum isn't producing close to that level.

as for the better overall player, I'd take Tatum due to his rebounding and defense.  the critical difference between them when reaching that decision is that opposing coaches could pick on IT's defense to force him to the bench.  not so with Tatum

[Ogaju]

IT4 easily !!!

[Roy H.]

... opposing coaches could pick on IT's defense to force him to the bench.

Did they?  I don’t recall IT missing many minutes, even while playing through pain.  His offense was so good that we lived with the defense (which still wasn’t any worse than Kyrie’s)

[Tr1boy]

... opposing coaches could pick on IT's defense to force him to the bench.

Did they?  I don’t recall IT missing many minutes, even while playing through pain.  His offense was so good that we lived with the defense (which still wasn’t any worse than Kyrie’s)

Agree.  Helped that IT4 was surrounded by strong versatile Ds. Like Crowder, Smart, Horford, Bradley

[Ogaju]

IT4 was a scoring machine...he sacrificed his body to be successful for the Celtics.

[slamtheking]

... opposing coaches could pick on IT's defense to force him to the bench.

Did they?  I don’t recall IT missing many minutes, even while playing through pain.  His offense was so good that we lived with the defense (which still wasn’t any worse than Kyrie’s)

Agree.  Helped that IT4 was surrounded by strong versatile Ds. Like Crowder, Smart, Horford, Bradley

they picked on him in the playoffs constantly.  it was a definite weak spot in our defense

[Roy H.]

... opposing coaches could pick on IT's defense to force him to the bench.

Did they?  I don’t recall IT missing many minutes, even while playing through pain.  His offense was so good that we lived with the defense (which still wasn’t any worse than Kyrie’s)

Agree.  Helped that IT4 was surrounded by strong versatile Ds. Like Crowder, Smart, Horford, Bradley

they picked on him in the playoffs constantly.  it was a definite weak spot in our defense

When did it send him to the bench though?