4. Tatum’s Ability to Reach Another Gear
There have been some real flashes of superstardom from Jayson Tatum both prior to the shutdown and since the resumption in the NBA bubble. The Boston Celtics have relied upon him as their No. 1 option and he has flourished with such responsibility.
Tatum, 22, has taken a clear step forward in his development this season. He’s averaging 23.4 points (45.0% FG, 40.3% 3P, 81.2% FT), 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals in 66 appearances. The fact that he’s doing this on a third-seed is all the more impressive.
It’s clear, Tatum’s volume production has ramped up across the board along with his scoring efficiency when compared to his contributions just a season ago. His star power will help the Celtics stack up better in the playoffs this go around.
As seen in the Celtics’ recent victory over the Orlando Magic, Jayson Tatum is capable of taking over games when needed. If the Philadelphia 76ers manage to tight with Boston down the stretch, he will need to be prepared to outduel talents like Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris.
The 76ers likely will make Tatum the focus of their game planning in order to slow him down. He’s more than capable of transcending those efforts from Philadelphia and if he does, the rest of Boston’s unit will benefit.
