Timberwolves (43-28) at Celtics (47-23) Game #71 3/22/26

[jpotter33]

It's painful to watch Tatum bricking 3s after 3s. He used to shot almost 45% from the corner 3 in his first 2 years, but now he likes taking it from the top of the key. He is very athletic and a good rebounder, but an efficien shooter he is not.

I think it has much more to do with the quality of the threes he is taking more than anything. While I don't have the numbers, I would imagine that his percentage of shots off the dribble and/or contested are both significantly higher than early in his career when his percentages were higher.

[angryguy77]

Tatum has been horrible on offense last game and this one.  blew a point blank layup.  something's still off with him

It would help if he stopped shooting 3's while moving forward.
He needs to just take better shots.

[jpotter33]

Tatum has been horrible on offense last game and this one.  blew a point blank layup.  something's still off with him

Yeah, his shot and finishing ability are still a major work in progress, though his playmaking and rebounding seem pretty much back to normal if anyone could hit a shot he generated for him.

Even more so now than once he's fully back, he'd *really* benefit from taking higher quality looks and less of the quick pull up threes.

[angryguy77]

Last 2 games this team has been undisciplined.

[slamtheking]

White and Tatum have been awful.  I'd seriously consider putting them on the bench to start the second half.

[Neurotic Guy]

I left for a minute and lost a comfortable lead.

Great play and finish Jaylen.

[Phantom255x]

Tatum with 0 points at halftime stands out

[angryguy77]

I left for a minute and lost a comfortable lead.

Great play and finish Jaylen.

You don't move the rest of the game.

[radiohead]

Second straight game that JT is struggling. Ugh.

[radiohead]

Tatum has been horrible on offense last game and this one.  blew a point blank layup.  something's still off with him

Yeah, his shot and finishing ability are still a major work in progress, though his playmaking and rebounding seem pretty much back to normal if anyone could hit a shot he generated for him.

Even more so now than once he's fully back, he'd *really* benefit from taking higher quality looks and less of the quick pull up threes.

Hopefully it?s just growing pains. I?m sure Joe gave him the green light to shoot and he?s trying to get his game back in a hurry. He should be better in the second half.

[jpotter33]

Yeah, color me skeptical but I?m not super confident that this JB-led difficult iso jumpshot offense is really going to take us where we want against postseason defenses. I?m not a fan of relying on JB making such difficult shots as our primary source of offense, as he just doesn?t have the gravity or playmaking to really take advantage of those possessions beyond individual scoring.

We really need Tatum?s offense to progress rapidly and/or utilize his playmaking and gravity more.

[86MaxwellSmart]

C's are just standing around on offense, Where's the movement we had before JT came back?

[slamtheking]

C's are just standing around on offense, Where's the movement we had before JT came back?

the offense has looked a lot more like the iso, 3-heavy, JT-focussed offense we had pre-injury.  not digging it

[jpotter33]

There you go, JT. More of that at the basket please.

[slamtheking]

and there we go, Tatum makes a layup