Jason Tatum: I'm going to average over 20, make the All Star team, and the Celtics are going to the finals

[Najee12]

We dont know if they would have made it with kyrie or not... they were 2-4 games out an Kyrie is the better player and proven he can be the best player on a playoff team. Kyrie probably is the difference between those hornets teams making and missing the playoffs.

we do know that Kemba didnt get it done.

We also have seen Kyrie Irving on teams with better talent than what the Charlotte Hornets had -- the Cavaliers when LeBron James didn't play, Boston this past season. The Cavaliers had a losing record (4-23) during the three years James sat out of games and Irving played in most of those games. Boston was little more than a .500 team when Irving played this season.

You keep overlooking the fact Irving has played in the playoffs only one time in his career without James, and that team crashed and burned in the playoffs vs. Milwaukee this season with the Celtics practically celebrating his departure. And that Celtics team was much better than a team of Nicolas Batum, Jeremy Lamb, Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller as starters.

So if Irving floundered with a team of Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum, I don't see Irving doing well with a Charlotte team where the second best player (Lamb) would have been a reserve on that Celtics squad. Surely you're not going to make the argument that Charlotte's talent around Walker was the same as Boston's talent around Irving.

[Feed Your Head]

Tatum at best is around prime Steve SMith's level

Steve Smiths best season was his age 28 season, when he averaged 20/4/4 on 44/35 shooting. Tatum as a 20 year old with questionable shot selection averaged 16/6/2 on 45/37 shooting last year, while being a plus defender.

Don't be silly.

[sfernald]

What else is he supposed to say, i'm going to average 10 points, the Celtics will not make the play offs and i'll have a 75 rating? Would that be the correct answer? Leave the kid alone, let him play the season and see what happens.

And yes of course the Celtics won't win the title this season, nobody with a brain would expect that. But a player has to say he wants to win it all otherwise people question his motor.

how about try and be humble and say you are just going to work hard and try to win as a team.

Taum/Brown/Rozier being ego maniacs and thinking they are great before proving anything was as big a problem as kyrie last year

He was asked for this year's goals. Do you really think any NBA player's goals would be averaging 18ppg, not make the all star team, and have a first round playoff exit? Your childish and incessant Celtics bashing is getting very old.

Come on, you don’t thinking setting a goal of scoring above other things is a little Melo-esque?

I’m not saying he’s gonna be a disappointment, but he sure ain’t looking like the kind of player that Ben Simmons is becoming: someone who doesn’t care about his stats, only wins, and does everything he can on the court to promote winning, including heavy facilitation. Does Tatum even know what the term “pass” means?

[Darth Celtic]

OK JT lets see you back that up... lol
Who cares, I mean he probably is going to get high usage if his shots are falling so to say that is not that unreasonable.
However he still shouldn't be puffing his chest after such a terrible soph season in comparison to what he himself believed last summer.

15.7pts, 6rebs, 2.1 a, 37% from 3, .7bl and 1.1 st a game in 31 mpg as the 3rd option. TERRIBLE soph season most other soph would die for. And at age 20.

Don't make me sig you again still. Don't do it.

[Darth Celtic]

This is spot on. All this Rhetoric about Kyrie being an awful leader and not being able to go anywhere as a teams #1... Yet in the most dsyfunctional mess of a season in which kyrie "couldnt lead them anywhere" Kyrie got furhter this year (second round) then Kemba has ever gotten.

I understand that Kemba may be a breath of fresh air, but this idea he is some great leader when he has had a losing record in 5 of his 8 seasons and never advanced a round in the playoffs tell another story

The Charlotte Hornets have had players such as Nicolas Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller play prominent roles the past few years. None of these guys are more than fourth- to eighth-man type players. Jeremy Lamb was the second best player on the Hornets this past season, for goodness sake. Nothing short of an elite player (prime LeBron James) could have dragged that team into the playoffs.

Comparing Kemba Walker's teammates in Charlotte to Kyrie Irving's teammates the past three years is a joke. Irving has Jaylen Brown, Al Horford and Jayson Tatum as teammates for the past two seasons in Boston, and had James and Kevin Love in Cleveland. Who do you think had better talent around him -- Walker or Irving? Do you think teammates don't matter when evaluating team success in a team sport such as basketball?

Walker is not a leader in the concept of a rallying cry player, but a more flexible contributory player. What he should provide Boston is a productive player who will accept playing a lesser role if/when Tatum develops. Tatum and Irving were competing with each other for shots and attention on will emerge as the top player for a contender.

I'm not saying Kemba neded to win a ring in Charlotte, but to call him a winner and leader when he missed the playoffs 6 of 8 years in the east is simply lazy analysis.

Trash argument. The lakers traded every pick until 2030 and the media calls it a win for a guy who has made it to the playoffs, you guessed it, twice out of 7 years in the league.

Explain that without sounding like a clown buddy.

[Stillwater]

OK JT lets see you back that up... lol
Who cares, I mean he probably is going to get high usage if his shots are falling so to say that is not that unreasonable.
However he still shouldn't be puffing his chest after such a terrible soph season in comparison to what he himself believed last summer.

15.7pts, 6rebs, 2.1 a, 37% from 3, .7bl and 1.1 st a game in 31 mpg as the 3rd option. TERRIBLE soph season most other soph would die for. And at age 20.

Don't make me sig you again still. Don't do it.

I got the impression from the Media and these boards Boston was disappointed in his season compared to his rookie impact or he would have been on a higher usage last season.
Maybe not?
Those numbers are pretty good so I guess he was held back? If the problem was KI was in his way which would not be shocking at all, then he has every right to boast away, assuming Kemba is on board with taking a back seat.

[MrDollarBills]

how about try and be humble and say you are just going to work hard and try to win as a team.

"I'm an actual genius when it comes to this game."

Don't bother with this guy. Just 2 days ago he questioned if the Celtics or Hawks would have a better record. Then took a bet that the Nets minus KD this year will have more than 10 wins more than the Celtics.

I'm not going to touch on the Hawks/Celtics thing but you go right ahead and sleep on the Nets. This roster is better than last year's and that is with KD out.

[Crives]

Time for all star game to not be determined by conference.

[Prokorov]

We dont know if they would have made it with kyrie or not... they were 2-4 games out an Kyrie is the better player and proven he can be the best player on a playoff team. Kyrie probably is the difference between those hornets teams making and missing the playoffs.

we do know that Kemba didnt get it done.

We also have seen Kyrie Irving on teams with better talent than what the Charlotte Hornets had -- the Cavaliers when LeBron James didn't play, Boston this past season. The Cavaliers had a losing record (4-23) during the three years James sat out of games and Irving played in most of those games. Boston was little more than a .500 team when Irving played this season.

You keep overlooking the fact Irving has played in the playoffs only one time in his career without James, and that team crashed and burned in the playoffs vs. Milwaukee this season with the Celtics practically celebrating his departure. And that Celtics team was much better than a team of Nicolas Batum, Jeremy Lamb, Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller as starters.

So if Irving floundered with a team of Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum, I don't see Irving doing well with a Charlotte team where the second best player (Lamb) would have been a reserve on that Celtics squad. Surely you're not going to make the argument that Charlotte's talent around Walker was the same as Boston's talent around Irving.

Kyrie has had 2 seasons since lebron. year 1 he had them a 2 seed with 55 wins but was injured for the playoffs. last year he got them to the second round and lost to the #1 seed.

How is a 45 win team losing to a 60 win #1 seed on the road "crashing and burning"

they lost to a better team

[Prokorov]

The Charlotte Hornets have had players such as Nicolas Batum, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller play prominent roles the past few years. None of these guys are more than fourth- to eighth-man type players. Jeremy Lamb was the second best player on the Hornets this past season, for goodness sake. Nothing short of an elite player (prime LeBron James) could have dragged that team into the playoffs.

Comparing Kemba Walker's teammates in Charlotte to Kyrie Irving's teammates the past three years is a joke. Irving has Jaylen Brown, Al Horford and Jayson Tatum as teammates for the past two seasons in Boston, and had James and Kevin Love in Cleveland. Who do you think had better talent around him -- Walker or Irving? Do you think teammates don't matter when evaluating team success in a team sport such as basketball?

Walker is not a leader in the concept of a rallying cry player, but a more flexible contributory player. What he should provide Boston is a productive player who will accept playing a lesser role if/when Tatum develops. Tatum and Irving were competing with each other for shots and attention on will emerge as the top player for a contender.

I'm not saying Kemba neded to win a ring in Charlotte, but to call him a winner and leader when he missed the playoffs 6 of 8 years in the east is simply lazy analysis.

Trash argument. The lakers traded every pick until 2030 and the media calls it a win for a guy who has made it to the playoffs, you guessed it, twice out of 7 years in the league.

Explain that without sounding like a clown buddy.

AD has durability issues. when healthy, his team has made it.

Kemba plays 82 games and leads his team to losing records

[matt6715]

Kuzma vs. Tatum is an interesting comparison, now more than ever. If you gave Kuz the green light to play Kobe-ball

[Darth Celtic]

OK JT lets see you back that up... lol
Who cares, I mean he probably is going to get high usage if his shots are falling so to say that is not that unreasonable.
However he still shouldn't be puffing his chest after such a terrible soph season in comparison to what he himself believed last summer.

15.7pts, 6rebs, 2.1 a, 37% from 3, .7bl and 1.1 st a game in 31 mpg as the 3rd option. TERRIBLE soph season most other soph would die for. And at age 20.

Don't make me sig you again still. Don't do it.

I got the impression from the Media and these boards Boston was disappointed in his season compared to his rookie impact or he would have been on a higher usage last season.
Maybe not?
Those numbers are pretty good so I guess he was held back? If the problem was KI was in his way which would not be shocking at all, then he has every right to boast away, assuming Kemba is on board with taking a back seat.

He wasn't really held back. People overhyped him saying he was going to do 20/10/5 at 43% from 3. Hard to hit that at age 20. Not many have. Lebron maybe? I'm just pointing out you shouldn't say terrible soph season. It was far, far from terrible. It just wasn't as expected by some.

[Najee12]

Kyrie has had 2 seasons since lebron. year 1 he had them a 2 seed with 55 wins but was injured for the playoffs. last year he got them to the second round and lost to the #1 seed.

How is a 45 win team losing to a 60 win #1 seed on the road "crashing and burning"

they lost to a better team

Boston won 49 games this season.

Kyrie Irving played in the playoffs one time his entire career without LeBron James -- and we saw how that ended this season. More particularly, we saw Irving jacking up bad shot after bad shot, not playing defense, making moronic soundbites in the final four games of the Milwaukee series ("I should've shot 30. I'm that great of a shooter" after going 7-for-22 in Game 4). Keep in mind, this is after he has been telling the media how he was going to take over in the playoffs.

Read on Twitter

As for injuries, that's another thing for which Irving is known. He is almost an automatic to miss 15 games or more a season because of injuries. He's been having injury problems since he played at Duke. At least Kemba Walker has durability going for him (he's missed four games in the past four years).

[Darth Celtic]

I'm not saying Kemba neded to win a ring in Charlotte, but to call him a winner and leader when he missed the playoffs 6 of 8 years in the east is simply lazy analysis.

Trash argument. The lakers traded every pick until 2030 and the media calls it a win for a guy who has made it to the playoffs, you guessed it, twice out of 7 years in the league.

Explain that without sounding like a clown buddy.

AD has durability issues. when healthy, his team has made it.

Kemba plays 82 games and leads his team to losing records

Another terrible argument from the sites newest king of "celtic hater". I get it, Danny should go to jail for what he did to the nets, but get over it dude.

Do better. Be better.

[Najee12]

Kemba plays 82 games and leads his team to losing records

Here is a list of the top players for the 2018-19 Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets, respectively, outside of Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker based on minutes played:

CELTICS:

Jaylen Brown
Gordon Hayward
Al Horford
Marcus Smart
Jayson Tatum

HORNETS:

Nicolas Batum
Miles Bridges
Jeremy Lamb
Marvin Williams
Cody Zeller

Assuming Irving and Walker are the top two players out of the 12, rank the other 10 in order. Lamb was the second best player on the Hornets -- which Celtics would you rank behind him? A hobbled Hayward may have been the only player on the Celtics worse than Lamb and that's only because Hayward is recovering from a gruesome leg injury.

It's realistic that at least three Hornets (Batum, Bridges and Williams) would finish at the bottom of the list. It's a fair bet to say not one player on the Hornets would be the best player at his position in a matchup (including Walker).

You're talking about Irving could have led a glorified G-League roster to the playoffs when he played on a Cleveland team that went to three straight NBA Finals but had a losing record when he played and LeBron James didn't. Irving struggled with a Celtics roster that was superior to the Hornets' roster this season, but you think he could have led that Hornets team to the playoffs?

[jacoby1us]

The more and more this kid talks, he seems to be more and more about himself. Himself before anything else, I get having an Alpha Male mentality and all but my guy you have to put the team first. You just lost two big pieces from your organization, let your play do the talking for you, stop predicting and do.

[Darth Celtic]

The more and more this kid talks, he seems to be more and more about himself. Himself before anything else, I get having an Alpha Male mentality and all but my guy you have to put the team first. You just lost two big pieces from your organization, let your play do the talking for you, stop predicting and do.

......and lead the Celtics to the finals.....

yup, all about him.

[jacoby1us]

The more and more this kid talks, he seems to be more and more about himself. Himself before anything else, I get having an Alpha Male mentality and all but my guy you have to put the team first. You just lost two big pieces from your organization, let your play do the talking for you, stop predicting and do.

......and lead the Celtics to the finals.....

yup, all about him.

lead the Celtics to the Finals was the last comment out of his mouth. Which indicates it is not Priority ONE.
The kid seems selfish and I wouldn't be so quick to study everything about Kobe Bryant because his ego alone is freaking annoying as hell.

[Darth Celtic]

The more and more this kid talks, he seems to be more and more about himself. Himself before anything else, I get having an Alpha Male mentality and all but my guy you have to put the team first. You just lost two big pieces from your organization, let your play do the talking for you, stop predicting and do.

......and lead the Celtics to the finals.....

yup, all about him.

lead the Celtics to the Finals was the last comment out of his mouth. Which indicates it is not Priority ONE.
The kid seems selfish and I wouldn't be so quick to study everything about Kobe Bryant because his ego alone is freaking annoying as hell.

Yet Smitty just reported that the thing other players and team execs like the most about JB and JT is neither has an ego and will do whatever is needed to win.

You are talking WAY too much about a quote while talking about a video game rating. I mean, didn't you watch the game of zones rookie of the year episode? Probably the best they had.

Just stop.

[2Mas]

“I’m going to average over 20ppg” was the first thing he thought of. Sounds like he caught Melo syndrome

Second thing. His 2k rating is obviously the most important.

In fairness though him scoring 20ppg this season is probably the most likely of the 4 things to happen.

& Also probably the best thing for the team too lol.