Tatum’s Elite Leap

[Ed Monix]

Players in the 3-point era to average:

PTS/G ≥ 30.0
TRB/G ≥ 7.0
AST/G ≥ 5.0

(over 20 game span)

Giannis Antetokounmpo
Larry Bird
Kobe Bryant
Luka Doncic
Clyde Drexler
Kevin Durant
Joel Embiid
Alex English
Paul George
James Harden
LeBron James
Michael Jordan
Kawhi Leonard
Tracy McGrady
David Robinson
Jayson Tatum
Russell Westbrook

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Source: Boston Sports Info

[#1P4P]

Great company!

He’s displayed flashes of this for the past 2 seasons. It was a matter of maturing into consistency without it being forced and in the flow of the offense.

His maturity/consistency/playmaking was one of the most important factors coming into this season.

Just in time for this team to become Championship contenders.

[gouki88]

I'm not sure what it is that's clicked, but over the last 20 or so he seems to have that superstar mentality of "the defence can do whatever it likes, I'm scoring". Been fairly unstoppable as of late.

[Moranis]

I'm not sure what it is that's clicked, but over the last 20 or so he seems to have that superstar mentality of "the defence can do whatever it likes, I'm scoring". Been fairly unstoppable as of late.

He is shooting a lot better.  I think he finally got used to the ball and the Olympics hang over has ended.  Weaker competition also helps.

[Ed Monix]

Jayson Tatum over the last 5 Games:

33 PTS, 8 REB, 7 AST (vs. Atlanta)
37 PTS, 6 REB, 5 AST (vs. Memphis)
54 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST (vs. Brooklyn)
44 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST (vs. Charlotte)
31 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST (vs. Detroit)

[liam]

His passing out of the double team helps a lot. All his driving is also relentless. His game will continue to expand. His mindset is to be the best.

[Donoghus]

He's playing at such a ridiculous level right now. It's so awesome to see because we've known of years that he's had this kind of potential.

[BringToughnessBack]

He is now number 6 in the MVP race and moving up fast. Remember earlier this year when some wanted to blow it all up and get rid of the 24 year old superstar.

Can we sign him to a lifetime contract now? I still stick by my 4 titles in Celtics Green before all is said and done.

[moiso]

The biggest difference that I see is that earlier in the season he was drifting in some direction on just about every shot attempt.  Now no matter what moves he strings together and direction he is moving in, when it's time to shoot he goes straight up and down.  It's beautiful balance and shooting form.  It's been looking just perfect.  You can just see the confidence now, it looks like it's in slow motion for him.  Nearby defenders and hands in the face don't seem to bother him at all.

[Vermont Green]

His passing out of the double team helps a lot. All his driving is also relentless. His game will continue to expand. His mindset is to be the best.

He is passing better but the whole team is reacting better when he gets doubled.  There is purposeful movement without the ball, good cutting and spacing.  It takes both sides of the coin.

I am going to nit pick Tatum some.  He is doing a little too much posing or voguing after making his 3s.  Kind of stands there for a few seconds with his hand in the air.  This is not good leadership body language.  You are the best player on the court.

The issue is that Tatum is the clear leader of team.  If he starts with the posing and the victory waves to the crowd, the rest of the team will pick up on this.  It is unnecessary distraction that you never saw from the likes of Larry Bird.  Bird would make an out of this world shot and before his feet hit the ground, he was already scheming to steal the ball or make some other defensive play.

Tatum is young.  I don't think this is a fatal flaw or anything like that.  It is just part of the maturity process for an elite NBA star who comes into the league at age 19.  But you can't be a spectator in your own moment for even a second.  Keep the game face, the game "body language".  It will affect the whole team.

[libermaniac]

His passing out of the double team helps a lot. All his driving is also relentless. His game will continue to expand. His mindset is to be the best.

He is passing better but the whole team is reacting better when he gets doubled.  There is purposeful movement without the ball, good cutting and spacing.  It takes both sides of the coin.

I am going to nit pick Tatum some.  He is doing a little too much posing or voguing after making his 3s.  Kind of stands there for a few seconds with his hand in the air.  This is not good leadership body language.  You are the best player on the court.

The issue is that Tatum is the clear leader of team.  If he starts with the posing and the victory waves to the crowd, the rest of the team will pick up on this.  It is unnecessary distraction that you never saw from the likes of Larry Bird.  Bird would make an out of this world shot and before his feet hit the ground, he was already scheming to steal the ball or make some other defensive play.

Tatum is young.  I don't think this is a fatal flaw or anything like that.  It is just part of the maturity process for an elite NBA star who comes into the league at age 19.  But you can't be a spectator in your own moment for even a second.  Keep the game face, the game "body language".  It will affect the whole team.

I agree. But it hasn’t hurt Steph Curry, and he’s on another level with the posing.

[SHAQATTACK]

What impresses me about Tatum he does all this offense while still playing great defense and he never looks totally exhausted.  He has great control of energy and efficiency.  He plays at a comfortable level with moments of short bursts of max energy.   The only time he has looked depleted is not because of basketball, but covid seemed to really grip him.

Timelord continues to get more comfortable each game , his confidence is so cool to watch .

[Vermont Green]

His passing out of the double team helps a lot. All his driving is also relentless. His game will continue to expand. His mindset is to be the best.

He is passing better but the whole team is reacting better when he gets doubled.  There is purposeful movement without the ball, good cutting and spacing.  It takes both sides of the coin.

I am going to nit pick Tatum some.  He is doing a little too much posing or voguing after making his 3s.  Kind of stands there for a few seconds with his hand in the air.  This is not good leadership body language.  You are the best player on the court.

The issue is that Tatum is the clear leader of team.  If he starts with the posing and the victory waves to the crowd, the rest of the team will pick up on this.  It is unnecessary distraction that you never saw from the likes of Larry Bird.  Bird would make an out of this world shot and before his feet hit the ground, he was already scheming to steal the ball or make some other defensive play.

Tatum is young.  I don't think this is a fatal flaw or anything like that.  It is just part of the maturity process for an elite NBA star who comes into the league at age 19.  But you can't be a spectator in your own moment for even a second.  Keep the game face, the game "body language".  It will affect the whole team.

I agree. But it hasn’t hurt Steph Curry, and he’s on another level with the posing.

That is exactly what I don't want Tatum to become.  And I am not so sure that it is true that it hasn't hurt the Warriors as a team.  They won 1 title (2015) before Durant, should have lost to Houston but Chris Paul got hurt.  Then weren't Kyrie and Kevin Love both hurt for CLE in the finals?

Point is that sure, Curry is a great individual player.  The posing and waving to the crowd is not helping his team leadership.  It is an unnecessary lack of focus and a momentary distraction.  Tatum and the team would be better for it if he stopped doing it.  Make your out of this world shot and turn around and play defense.  The whole team will pick up on this.

[Roy H.]

The issue is that Tatum is the clear leader of team.  If he starts with the posing and the victory waves to the crowd, the rest of the team will pick up on this.  It is unnecessary distraction that you never saw from the likes of Larry Bird.  Bird would make an out of this world shot and before his feet hit the ground, he was already scheming to steal the ball or make some other defensive play.

You're correct that Larry wasn't like that.

But, there are all types of leadership.  Pierce did stuff like this.  IT4 was the king of it.  And, it lifted the team, as much as Larry's focus and drive did.  It's only a problem if it causes defensive lapses, etc.

[Vermont Green]

The issue is that Tatum is the clear leader of team.  If he starts with the posing and the victory waves to the crowd, the rest of the team will pick up on this.  It is unnecessary distraction that you never saw from the likes of Larry Bird.  Bird would make an out of this world shot and before his feet hit the ground, he was already scheming to steal the ball or make some other defensive play.

You're correct that Larry wasn't like that.

But, there are all types of leadership.  Pierce did stuff like this.  IT4 was the king of it.  And, it lifted the team, as much as Larry's focus and drive did.  It's only a problem if it causes defensive lapses, etc.

I admit there are other forms of leadership and I acknowledge that I sound a bit "get off my lawn" old school, but there is more to this than if there is a recognizable defensive lapse or not.  First, there is no scenario where waving to the crowd or holding a pose after making a shot is going to be a good thing.  It either isn't going to make any difference or it is going to detract in some way.

As to the defensive lapse, yes, an out and out lapse that you can clearly see is going to happen sometimes but there are other times where maybe if Tatum wasn't posing or if someone else wasn't watching him pose, that maybe there is a good play that could have been made that wasn't made.  An opportunity cost of sorts.

There is no reason to defend this.  It is unnecessary.  It will never help, it can only hurt.  I cut Tatum slack in that he is barely 24 years old and already being asked to be a team leader.  But the coach and management should be telling him to work on this just the same as he has been working on passing out of double teams, getting to the line more, and not complaining to the refs so much.  When you are a player at Tatum's level, it all matters.  It is part of how you make others better as the best player on the team.  It is not just about hitting big shots or making a sick pass, it is also about setting the tone that the entire team will pick up on.