Jayson Tatum's start

[gouki88]

I know, I know, I can already here the cries of "small sample size!" ringing out. Nonetheless, I still want a thread dedicated to how awesome he has played thus far.

Basic box score line of 34.7PPG, 8.3RPG, 3APG, 1.7BPG and 1SPG. Shooting splits of 58.7% FG, 33.3% 3PT, and 88% FT. Only 2 TOs a game. Effective Field Goal % of 65.1%, and a True Shooting % of 70.3%.

There are more advanced stats that really hammer home how unstoppable he has bee on the offensive end, but we've all seen it. He's coming for that MVP, FMVP and #18!

[Who]

This Tatum season start does have a lil' bit of a D-Rose type feel to it when Rose won that MVP in 2011. Chicago top of the league in regular season. Rose huge plaudits.

[Goldstar88]

MVP, MVP, MVP…

[GreenlyGreeny]

Said it before and will say it again: JT could become the best basketball player in the world this season or next. He’s that good. And JB is good enough to be the next Scottie Pippen to JT’s MJ. Let’s just hope these two fellas are committed to the green for life like Bill Russell before them.

[gouki88]

This Tatum season start does have a lil' bit of a D-Rose type feel to it when Rose won that MVP in 2011. Chicago top of the league in regular season. Rose huge plaudits.

Just with a better end result!

[Csfan1984]

Imagine if Tatum is actually starting the year off slow. Could anyone fathom what a post All Star game Tatum this year would be with this kind of start?

[gouki88]

Imagine if Tatum is actually starting the year off slow. Could anyone fathom what a post All Star game Tatum this year would be with this kind of start?

87 Michael Jordan?

[SHAQATTACK]

TP …like your enthusiasm over our best player .

[kraidstar]

Yes it is awesome. TPs all around

[Silas]

No question a good start, however, I want a great finish and #18! 

[ozgod]

It's his mentality that's really come to the fore as well. Jay King had an article in the Athletic about how Tatum demanded to guard Banchero after Paolo had lit up the Cs for a couple of buckets. He wanted to be the one to shut Paolo down to set an example.



Here's what he had to say after:

“We kind of let them be comfortable,” Tatum said. “Regardless of who it is, any NBA player that’s comfortable and they hit shots, they start playing with confidence, and then you’re in for a ballgame. And that’s what happened tonight. And I felt like they were just too comfortable in the beginning. So I decided to guard him. I take pride in defense, as we all do.”

Even in a road arena, Tatum left the Amway Center court to M-V-P chants after finishing with 40 points on 14-for-21 shooting. As well as he scored the ball, the insistence on defending Banchero did more to show off Tatum’s early-season mindset. On the second leg of a back-to-back, he could have let the Celtics coast but refused to let them settle for a weak effort. In some ways, he wasn’t just setting the tone for Saturday night, but for the entire season. With one demand, Tatum made it clear that every game matters to him. That he won’t stand for any slippage. That the finals loss has shaped his approach to this season and convinced him to take everything seriously.

Full article at https://theathletic.com/3720306/2022/10/23/celtics-jayson-tatum-paolo-banchero/

[gouki88]

We are now 8 games into the season. Tatum has only really had one poor night (against the Cavs). Thus far, his season has seen him average 31/9/4 on 50/37/90 shooting, whilst playing some really strong defence at times.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Just imagine if he got the Superstar calls from the crooked Refs. 

[Kernewek]

We are now 8 games into the season. Tatum has only really had one poor night (against the Cavs). Thus far, his season has seen him average 31/9/4 on 50/37/90 shooting, whilst playing some really strong defence at times.

But does he have the toughness to buckle down and deliver when the going gets difficult?

I once saw Charles Oakley carve the heart out of a catamount with his bare hands in a fight to the death on the frozen tundra outside a CEBL (Canadian Elite Basketball League) match. Why? Because the catamount cat-called him during warmups. He was 55 at the time.

I don't see that sort of psychopathy in Jayson Tatum, no matter how good he is at 'actually playing basketball' and 'actually winning games'.

Not convinced.

[gouki88]

We are now 8 games into the season. Tatum has only really had one poor night (against the Cavs). Thus far, his season has seen him average 31/9/4 on 50/37/90 shooting, whilst playing some really strong defence at times.

But does he have the toughness to buckle down and deliver when the going gets difficult?

I once saw Charles Oakley carve the heart out of a catamount with his bare hands in a fight to the death on the frozen tundra outside a CEBL (Canadian Elite Basketball League) match. Why? Because the catamount cat-called him during warmups. He was 55 at the time.

I don't see that sort of psychopathy in Jayson Tatum, no matter how good he is at 'actually playing basketball' and 'actually winning games'.

Not convinced.

I've always contended that to be truly great, Tatum needs to be more like Bill Laimbeer.