Tatum?s Catch 22 Image

[Redz]

I can?t ever remember a star being so simultaneously overrated and underrated at the same time.  As Celtics fans we have a unique perspective on the guy, but the global view that I see on him is that he fallen so far below expectation that he is now actually being vastly underrated.  People seem to think he?s useless or ?not even the best player on his own team?.  Getting minuscule minute on the Olympic team has reinforced this notion.

Another narrative I?m seeing is that the ?league better watch out this year when Tatum (and Brown) come out for their revenge?.  So Tatum is gonna come out and tie Bird?s team scoring record again every night??? 60 points a night because he?s angry JT now?  That?s not who he is!

He?s never going to the chip on his shoulder guy.  He?s probably never going to guy we thought he had the potential to be either - the monster who can take over games and suck the will out of other teams on the regular.  But he also is still one of the best in the league and capable of leading a team to championship level basketball. 

He?s a conundrum, but he?s our conundrum and a [dang] good one.  A champ, not a chump.  Just not a mamba or an MJ or whatever?and that?s ok.  Not being one or the other doesn?t mean he?s a bum.  Too much hyperbole.

[Kernewek]

Yeah. It's nice that LeBron and Curry got the one-last-ride out of the way and that Team USA wound up with gold as expected, but if this wasn't the offseason - let's say the olympics happened concurrently with the regular season - this wouldn't be much of a story.

The guy had an unremarkable run, and Team USA still won. There's no reason to be worried unless his poor performance spills over into the regular season.

[jambr380]

It's strange because people seem to acknowledge that he is a top 6 player in the league and deserving of his 3 straight 1st Team All-NBA spots, while at the same time saying there were no minutes for him on Team USA because Lebron and KD were in front of him.

I'm not going to make the argument that the Tatum we saw would have been better than Lebron and KD, but I do think it was a weird spot for him where it's probably the first time in his life that his coach didn't believe in him. It had to be a weird experience, but something I'm sure he'll come back from.

[Vermont Green]

The Olympic Team run was interesting.  I would agree that both LeBron and Durant played better than Tatum, at least offensively.  I don't think Booker was necessarily any better or more deserving of minutes than Tatum. 

I think Kerr got too caught up in positions.  He had in his mind that LeBron, Durant, and Tatum were all big wings or forward wings and he had Booker and Anthony Edwards are small wings or guard wings.  In games he had Holiday and Booker starting (both Guards) he had LeBron as the forward and Curry as SG.  Then he started Durant over Holiday leaving Curry and Booker as the Guards.

I can understand starting Durant over Tatum as the second forward with LeBron.  I don't understand starting Booker, essentially a third guard.  Although if he had in his mind that he wanted 3 guards on the court all the time or most of time, that would explain why White and Edwards played more than Tatum.  I guess I just don't see any reason to play 3 guards.

As to the season, I said in another post that the way this whole Olympic thing soured for Tatum, is probably good regarding his relationship with Brown.  Now they both can be mad about the Olympic team.  I expect Tatum to continue to play at a first team All-NBA level.  He will do more over the course of a full season for the Celtics than Durant or LeBron do for their teams.  Six games (or whatever) in the Olympics is different than a full NBA season.  And I think Brown will continue to play at a 2nd or 3rd team All-NBA level.

[gift]

it's hard to suddenly become a complimentary player and know exactly how much to do. that's why Jrue and Derrick were on the olympic team and seamlessly fit in. Tatum and Brown would have to either change, or have the team geared toward them. there's not a ton of time to let them figure out how to play and the team is too good to turn the whole thing over to them. that's why Tatum didn't play much and Brown wasn't there. it doesn't speak to how good Tatum and Brown are (we've already seen how good they are), but it does speak to the type of players they are. the exact type of players the 2028 team will need.

[tonydelk]

The only issue surrounding JT's persona is all generated from the media.  Tatum's issue stems from his poor shooting in the playoffs each year.  It's like he runs out of steam and struggles.  The crazy part is the rest of his game is still elite and better all around then just about any other superstar out there.  He rebounds, makes plays for his team, plays elite D etc.  In the playoffs they kind of take guys like Tatum and diminish their game because they let teams foul a lot more in the playoffs versus the regular season.  Fouls that are fouls become non calls in the playoffs.  For a guy like JT getting to the rim and foul line helps his rhythm.   When you take a guy like JT out of his rhythm his shooting suffers.  This is why I feel his shooting drops in the playoffs.  JT is not and will never be a knockdown shooter like Curry, Edwards etc.  He's a scorer.  When you take away a faucet of the game like FT shooting it hurts his game.  This is what he needs to work on this year. 

The media is so focused on his shooting% they act like he brings zero value to the game.  Plus non boston fans love to hate boston any way they can.

[celticinorlando]

There are 2 reasons...one I will keep to myself and the second is he plays for Boston.

If JT played for the Lakers he would not be slandered as bad as he is by the media and by the casuals.

People just hate the Celtics.

[bdm860]

While I don't see Tatum as a "revenge" guy whose going to turn it up another notch next year (though that would be nice), a small part of me worries about the opposite, that Tatum might get into his own head (and the shooting woes don't help either).

I'm pretty sure there was a Tatum meme about how he performs better after the All-Star break, a quick look shows:

'19 - not selected as All-Star, post All-Star break got worse: 16.5 ppg to 13.7, 55.7 TS% to 51.7%
'20 - selected as All-Star, post All-Star break got better: 22.4 ppg to 26.6, 55.4% TS% to 60.6%
'21 - selected as All-Star, post All-Star break got better: 24.9 ppg to 27.8, 54.7 TS% to 60.4%
'22 - selected as All-Star, post All-Star break got better: 25.7 ppg to 30.4, 55.3% TS% to 64.6%

In '22 he made 1st Team All-NBA, made the Finals, won ECFVP, and after that we haven't seen the pre/post All-Star game differences anymore.

Now let me put my amateur psychologist hat on.  Despite being one of the best basketball players in the world, Tatum was still a little unsure of himself.  Making the All-Star game is that in-season barometer for him that helps assure him that he's the man.  Making it gave him the confidence and helped him flourish.  Then after 1st Team All-NBA and Finals trip, he was no longer insecure about if he was an star or not and he played better all year because of it.

So despite being a perennial All-Star and All-NBA 1st teamer, and despite winning a championship at 26, my worry is not winning ECFMVP or FMVP and then not playing in the Olympics (along with the shooting woes), will cause Tatum to start becoming unsure of his status again and this will negatively affect his play (will still be All-Star level, just not 1st team lock level).

[Timdawgg]

While I don't see Tatum as a "revenge" guy whose going to turn it up another notch next year (though that would be nice), a small part of me worries about the opposite, that Tatum might get into his own head (and the shooting woes don't help either).

I'm pretty sure there was a Tatum meme about how he performs better after the All-Star break, a quick look shows:

'19 - not selected as All-Star, post All-Star break got worse: 16.5 ppg to 13.7, 55.7 TS% to 51.7%
'20 - selected as All-Star, post All-Star break got better: 22.4 ppg to 26.6, 55.4% TS% to 60.6%
'21 - selected as All-Star, post All-Star break got better: 24.9 ppg to 27.8, 54.7 TS% to 60.4%
'22 - selected as All-Star, post All-Star break got better: 25.7 ppg to 30.4, 55.3% TS% to 64.6%

In '22 he made 1st Team All-NBA, made the Finals, won ECFVP, and after that we haven't seen the pre/post All-Star game differences anymore.

Now let me put my amateur psychologist hat on.  Despite being one of the best basketball players in the world, Tatum was still a little unsure of himself.  Making the All-Star game is that in-season barometer for him that helps assure him that he's the man.  Making it gave him the confidence and helped him flourish.  Then after 1st Team All-NBA and Finals trip, he was no longer insecure about if he was an star or not and he played better all year because of it.

So despite being a perennial All-Star and All-NBA 1st teamer, and despite winning a championship at 26, my worry is not winning ECFMVP or FMVP and then not playing in the Olympics (along with the shooting woes), will cause Tatum to start becoming unsure of his status again and this will negatively affect his play (will still be All-Star level, just not 1st team lock level).

100% I have always felt his TRUE internal confidence as always pretty shakey at best. He talks the part about being confident and that nothing phases him,  but we can totally see that it does internally. Nothing wrong with that, but I think that is his issue he gets rattled and in his own head and he plays for long stretches (months) with that issue. He just takes a lot of time to get that extra confidence humming.

[gift]

There are 2 reasons...one I will keep to myself and the second is he plays for Boston.

If JT played for the Lakers he would not be slandered as bad as he is by the media and by the casuals.

People just hate the Celtics.

does the other reason apply to Devin Booker too?

[celticinorlando]

There are 2 reasons...one I will keep to myself and the second is he plays for Boston.

If JT played for the Lakers he would not be slandered as bad as he is by the media and by the casuals.

People just hate the Celtics.

does the other reason apply to Devin Booker too?

I would say yes.

[gift]

There are 2 reasons...one I will keep to myself and the second is he plays for Boston.

If JT played for the Lakers he would not be slandered as bad as he is by the media and by the casuals.

People just hate the Celtics.

does the other reason apply to Devin Booker too?

I would say yes.

interesting

[SparzWizard]

I've heard media calling him Ben Simmons 2.0. I sure hope that isn't the case when regular season begins. But hearing him missing jump shots during practice in the Olympics alarmed me.

[W8ting2McHale]

I've heard media calling him Ben Simmons 2.0. I sure hope that isn't the case when regular season begins. But hearing him missing jump shots during practice in the Olympics alarmed me.

If by ?media? you mean other teams? fans making hot takes to deride Tatum, then yes I have seen that on respected media outlets like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter).

If you mean professional sports journalists, then no, I have not.

[perks-a-beast]

I've heard media calling him Ben Simmons 2.0. I sure hope that isn't the case when regular season begins. But hearing him missing jump shots during practice in the Olympics alarmed me.

C'mon...Tatum is an NBA champion and five time all star in his mid twenties who has already played in over 110 playoff games...Whoever made that comparison should be embarrassed.