Why is Tatum playing so small?

[BudweiserCeltic]

I'm getting tired of him getting a favorable match up around the free-throw area and him not pulling the trigger. Instead, he's trying to bulldoze his way through traffic to try and get to the rim. The clearest example of this is when Kyrie is on him.

Man, you got like 6 inches on him and you're making him look like he's a 7'3 Ron Artest out there.

To that end, where has mid range game gone? When he began his career, we were all salivating that we got the next Paul Pierce in part because he seemed to have good foot work and was money around the free-throw area.

You are tall and have long arms, that shot for you is mostly unguardable against players like Kyrie.

Just feels like he only has 2 modes now, bulldoze your way to the rim and stumble into a shot or a pass, or a step back 3. One of the things that makes Tatum dangerous is that he can make shots from anywhere in the floor, and he's become predictable instead.

I don't know, I may be wrong about what I say here, but the possessions vs Kyrie with having nothing to show for it p---ed me off to no end.

While we are at it, stop letting 4th rate players get in your head. Easily rattled about dumb things.

There, now I'm a bit calmer... let's win game 5.

[Redz]

Take a page out of KP?s book

[BudweiserCeltic]

Take a page out of KP?s book

I was trying to avoid saying it, even wrote it and deleted it.... but yes!

[celticinorlando]

A pull up midrange jumper is the one shot JT needs. The fall away jumper is not high percentage shot.

[Moranis]

He just needs to finish better

[SparzWizard]

He probably thinks taking midrange is a waste of time and shots that he'd rather take 3s instead or bulldoze to the rim for a 2.

[Phantom255x]

I don't understand why most of his shots have to be fadeaways or fallaways. Look at Jaylen, most of his jump shots are direct and smooth. Sometimes he'll shoot over guys too.

I agree. JT needs to do that more too. It can't all be 3s or fallaways/fadeaways. And Dallas isn't gonna just leave the paint wide open anymore, they are gonna dare Boston to beat them with the jumpers and 3s.

[0003323344]

He can?t even make a layup at this point?

[ozgod]

He probably thinks taking midrange is a waste of time and shots that he'd rather take 3s instead or bulldoze to the rim for a 2.

I suspect it's not just him, it's the team in general, because they are one of the bottom 3 teams when it comes to taking midrange (10-14ft) shots in the regular season, and they are the bottom team when it comes to taking those shots in the playoffs.



Old fogies like us grew up on a diet of Jordan and Bird and Kobe and Pierce and KG taking these midrangers, but Brad is of the "pace and space" philosophy - the video and stat nerds that work for them have worked out the value of a shot taken from every part of the court, and the highest value ones are 3s and layups, and the lowest value one are these midrange shots, and Ime and then Joe carried on that philosophy. If you look at Tatum's shot profile through the years he took a lot more of these midrange shots shooting over shorter players in his rookie season but as the years have gone on he has cut them from his game.

It's probably also because when you attack the paint, as opposed to shooting in the midrange, it collapses the defense and forces them to make a decision to leave someone on the corner open or to stay with their man.

[Who]

He probably thinks taking midrange is a waste of time and shots that he'd rather take 3s instead or bulldoze to the rim for a 2.

I suspect it's not just him, it's the team in general, because they are one of the bottom 3 teams when it comes to taking midrange (10-14ft) shots in the regular season, and they are the bottom team when it comes to taking those shots in the playoffs.



Old fogies like us grew up on a diet of Jordan and Bird and Kobe and Pierce and KG taking these midrangers, but Brad is of the "pace and space" philosophy - the video and stat nerds that work for them have worked out the value of a shot taken from every part of the court, and the highest value ones are 3s and layups, and the lowest value one are these midrange shots, and Ime and then Joe carried on that philosophy. If you look at Tatum's shot profile through the years he took a lot more of these midrange shots shooting over shorter players in his rookie season but as the years have gone on he has cut them from his game.

It's probably also because when you attack the paint, as opposed to shooting in the midrange, it collapses the defense and forces them to make a decision to leave someone on the corner open or to stay with their man.

They've coached it out of him. Don't want him taking it.

Tatum plays for layups or passes when he drives nowadays. And if he doesn't drive, it is that step back 3 we all love so dearly.

[scaryjerry]

He?s become an absolutely dreadful shooter and completely inefficient driving the ball, usually not even looking to actually score just flail around to get a foul and his mid range game is almost non existent. He also clearly is a mental midget in clutch games/situations and the nerves clearly get to him.
We are a win away from winning the championship and I truly believe he?s hurt his reputation these playoffs/finals.
Before the tatum fanboys attack me. You?ve overrated his playmaking, even his defense but yes he has contributed to winning?as an important role player. Not a superstar.

[moiso]

He?s become an absolutely dreadful shooter and completely inefficient driving the ball, usually not even looking to actually score just flail around to get a foul and his mid range game is almost non existent. He also clearly is a mental midget in clutch games/situations and the nerves clearly get to him.
We are a win away from winning the championship and I truly believe he?s hurt his reputation these playoffs/finals.
Before the tatum fanboys attack me. You?ve overrated his playmaking, even his defense but yes he has contributed to winning?as an important role player. Not a superstar.

He seems to have become a more nervous mental midget in the clutch as the years have gone on.  I think all those times he was left alone on an island at the end of close games with the ball in his hands has had a negative effect.  How many times did the coach call no play at all other than to get the ball to Tatum and have everyone else stand and watch him try to win the game?  You could see his confidence get lower each succeeding time that was called.  It got to the point where he wasn't even getting legitimate shot attempts up.  He hit a game winning last second shot in his very first preseason or maybe it was summer league.  And he looked confident.  And for years he didn't seem more nervous in the clutch situations.  I really think all those forced end of game iso's killed his confidence.  I blame the coaching staff for that.  Tatum's passing skills are a fairly recent development, so I think those iso's were really hard on Tatum and he's still feeling the effects mentally.

[hpantazo]

When the game tightens up I'd like to see the ball in the hands of White or Holliday initiating the offense, and Tatum in the post. Tatum initiating the offense in those situations often leads to a contested stepback three, a poor quality drive into multiple defenders, or a bad pass.

[michigan adam]

What was once a staple to  players games has been engineered out, along with the post up game.  It is all layups/slams and 3's.  Those are the highest point per play.  Not sure why Tatum's struggling with his 3's.  I suspect he is nursing some hand/wrist injury we find out about later.  On drives he is getting double teamed+ as the defense collapses on him.  Until the others(brown, white, Jrue, Payton, and Hortford, KP, and hauser, all of them) start to hit those open 3's that will continue.  Not sure why the whole team is struggling from outside.  It is certainly not the defense.  Must be the pressure of the finals?

[Surferdad]

What was once a staple to  players games has been engineered out, along with the post up game.  It is all layups/slams and 3's.  Those are the highest point per play.  Not sure why Tatum's struggling with his 3's.  I suspect he is nursing some hand/wrist injury we find out about later.  On drives he is getting double teamed+ as the defense collapses on him.  Until the others(brown, white, Jrue, Payton, and Hortford, KP, and hauser, all of them) start to hit those open 3's that will continue.  Not sure why the whole team is struggling from outside.  It is certainly not the defense.  Must be the pressure of the finals?

Could be I have seen him flex his wrist. He is probably hiding it.