We have enough of a Tatum sample now

[zoyathedestroya]

No, it's too early for Tatum to be taking things like that out of his game. He has so much more room to grow, he should try to hone a lot of different things so he can get better at having things to do when people take away a couple of his things he's really good at. Don't want him to do those things to excess but every now and then he should be trying it, the every now and then has to be a couple of times a game if he's going to figure it out, plus a hell of a lot of practice time.

Agreed, why on earth would we want to cut out JTs bread and butter (midrange-game) ?? Makes zero sense

Lets tell Gordon to cut his midR game too while we're at it.

Difference is Hayward is awesome in the midrange. Tatum is in the 82nd percentile in taking midrange jumpers, so he takes a lot, and he shoots 38% on them, which is bad. So that's certainly not his bread and butter lol. I agree with Shak that Tatum shouldn't completely take it out of his game, but maybe just keep it to fadeaways in the post against smaller defenders.

There's certainly room for the midrange game. More often than not, it's the one area other teams are willing to give up defensively. The more players you have that are efficient in it, the more options you have in your offensive attack. You just don't want to overdo it. Like I would rather Tatum do his dribble iso pullup thing from beyond the arc than in the midrange. Or I'd rather he pass it out and not force it against the a tough defender in the midrange/post early in the clock.

If it's late clock or he gets a mismatch in the post, I don't mind it that much. Maybe not a good idea for it to be his primary weapon. Layups, threes, and trying to get to the line are still the priority.

[Feed Your Head]

Agreed, why on earth would we want to cut out JTs bread and butter (midrange-game) ?? Makes zero sense

Lets tell Gordon to cut his midR game too while we're at it.

Difference is Hayward is awesome in the midrange. Tatum is in the 82nd percentile in taking midrange jumpers, so he takes a lot, and he shoots 38% on them, which is bad. So that's certainly not his bread and butter lol. I agree with Shak that Tatum shouldn't completely take it out of his game, but maybe just keep it to fadeaways in the post against smaller defenders.

There's certainly room for the midrange game. More often than not, it's the one area other teams are willing to give up defensively. The more players you have that are efficient in it, the more options you have in your offensive attack. You just don't want to overdo it. Like I would rather Tatum do his dribble iso pullup thing from beyond the arc than in the midrange. Or I'd rather he pass it out and not force it against the a tough defender in the midrange/post early in the clock.

If it's late clock or he gets a mismatch in the post, I don't mind it that much. Maybe not a good idea for it to be his primary weapon. Layups, threes, and trying to get to the line are still the priority.

What surprised me is how good Tatum has been in the PnR. Part of it is Theis being a god at sealing him man, but 77th percentile is pretty damn good.

And I moreso meant to cut the midrange out as one of his primary weapons, I don't mind any shots when the shot clock is running down.

[SLCceltic]

No, it's too early for Tatum to be taking things like that out of his game. He has so much more room to grow, he should try to hone a lot of different things so he can get better at having things to do when people take away a couple of his things he's really good at. Don't want him to do those things to excess but every now and then he should be trying it, the every now and then has to be a couple of times a game if he's going to figure it out, plus a hell of a lot of practice time.

Agreed, why on earth would we want to cut out JTs bread and butter (midrange-game) ?? Makes zero sense

Lets tell Gordon to cut his midR game too while we're at it.

Difference is Hayward is awesome in the midrange. Tatum is in the 82nd percentile in taking midrange jumpers, so he takes a lot, and he shoots 38% on them, which is bad. So that's certainly not his bread and butter lol. I agree with Shak that Tatum shouldn't completely take it out of his game, but maybe just keep it to fadeaways in the post against smaller defenders.

SINCE entering the NBA, JT has developed a very good 3pt shot, and this season is starting to find his way to the basket. I don't think he even works on midrange anymore ha! He doesn't need to because it is already lethal! JTs innate midrange capacity is elite! It is what got him here...

[Feed Your Head]

Great Jackie Mac piece on Tatum.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28594984/i-hope-offended-potential-jayson-tatum

"It kind of reminded me of college," Tatum says, when asked about the moment some five months later. "Coach Pop and Coach K have similar personalities in how they lead. Pop enjoys calling you out in front of everyone.

"Confrontation, you know? It really makes you think about rising to the challenge."

"It was awesome," says Marcus Smart, who was in the film room with the U.S. squad. "Pop brings out the intensity by doing that, makes you want to be great."

What Smart and the others were not privy to was what happened in the days that followed that film session. Tatum was hustling to pick up his training gear when he ran into Popovich in the hallway. He motioned for Tatum to take a seat on a bench next to the elevator, slung his arm around the 21-year old, and explained why he singled him out.

"Do you know how special you can be?" Popovich asked. "There are very few two-way players in our game, and you have the opportunity to be one of them. You could be like Kawhi [Leonard] and Paul George."

Tatum was so surprised he didn't answer at first, prompting Popovich to hastily add, "I hope I haven't offended you."

"Offended me?" Tatum said. "That's a compliment!"

Two days later, Stevens was sitting in his office with his teenage son, Brady, who was talking to him about how hard it is to play good defense. He ran some tape on defensive help, and, unsolicited, the coach's son remarked, "Man, Tatum's pretty good at this."

"I texted Jayson and told him, 'I knew you'd score 40," Stevens says, "but I didn't know was you'd be a defensive example so soon in your career.'"

[MagicBagley18]

Although it’s Sam jones number and retired I wonder if Tatum will request or play in 24 tonight for Kobe

[Feed Your Head]

Although it’s Sam jones number and retired I wonder if Tatum will request or play in 24 tonight for Kobe

The traditionalists would freak their ****. All the more reason i hope he does it.

[24istheLAW]

Although it’s Sam jones number and retired I wonder if Tatum will request or play in 24 tonight for Kobe

That's absurd. It's Sam Jones' number and it's retired.

[24istheLAW]

Although it’s Sam jones number and retired I wonder if Tatum will request or play in 24 tonight for Kobe

The traditionalists would freak their ****. All the more reason i hope he does it.

Would the Lakers unretire #24 when Sam Jones dies? Why would we?

[Feed Your Head]

Although it’s Sam jones number and retired I wonder if Tatum will request or play in 24 tonight for Kobe

The traditionalists would freak their ****. All the more reason i hope he does it.

Would the Lakers unretire #24 when Sam Jones dies? Why would we?

Obviously I don't think it would ever happen lol, was just a little joke.

[MagicBagley18]

Although it’s Sam jones number and retired I wonder if Tatum will request or play in 24 tonight for Kobe

The traditionalists would freak their ****. All the more reason i hope he does it.

Would the Lakers unretire #24 when Sam Jones dies? Why would we?

I personally think a majority of the numbers should be unretired and there should be a Celtics legends banner with name or numbers on there and still allow the current generation to use those “legend “ numbers. So you’re asking the wrong guy

[MagicBagley18]

The traditionalists would freak their ****. All the more reason i hope he does it.

Would the Lakers unretire #24 when Sam Jones dies? Why would we?

Obviously I don't think it would ever happen lol, was just a little joke.

Cue the traditionalists- man I hope he’s wearing 24 tonight

[Feed Your Head]

I said it mostly in jest, but i HIGHLY doubt Sam Jones would mind Tatum wearing #24 for one night. That's not unretiring it, it's a one off to honor a player who meant a TON to players throughout the league, including Tatum.

[Feed Your Head]

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[MagicBagley18]

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That’s one hell of a sample size

[31to6]

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not bad for a 19-year-old!

[Feed Your Head]

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not bad for a 19-year-old!

Wrong, Tatum ages backwards, he is 17 going on 16.

[Celtic Esquire]

Great Jackie Mac piece on Tatum.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28594984/i-hope-offended-potential-jayson-tatum

"It kind of reminded me of college," Tatum says, when asked about the moment some five months later. "Coach Pop and Coach K have similar personalities in how they lead. Pop enjoys calling you out in front of everyone.

"Confrontation, you know? It really makes you think about rising to the challenge."

"It was awesome," says Marcus Smart, who was in the film room with the U.S. squad. "Pop brings out the intensity by doing that, makes you want to be great."

What Smart and the others were not privy to was what happened in the days that followed that film session. Tatum was hustling to pick up his training gear when he ran into Popovich in the hallway. He motioned for Tatum to take a seat on a bench next to the elevator, slung his arm around the 21-year old, and explained why he singled him out.

"Do you know how special you can be?" Popovich asked. "There are very few two-way players in our game, and you have the opportunity to be one of them. You could be like Kawhi [Leonard] and Paul George."

Tatum was so surprised he didn't answer at first, prompting Popovich to hastily add, "I hope I haven't offended you."

"Offended me?" Tatum said. "That's a compliment!"

Two days later, Stevens was sitting in his office with his teenage son, Brady, who was talking to him about how hard it is to play good defense. He ran some tape on defensive help, and, unsolicited, the coach's son remarked, "Man, Tatum's pretty good at this."

"I texted Jayson and told him, 'I knew you'd score 40," Stevens says, "but I didn't know was you'd be a defensive example so soon in your career.'"

Jackie Mac is the gold standard for these types of articles.

Great quotes in there. Thanks for sharing!

[SuperDeluxe]

I said it mostly in jest, but i HIGHLY doubt Sam Jones would mind Tatum wearing #24 for one night. That's not unretiring it, it's a one off to honor a player who meant a TON to players throughout the league, including Tatum.

I'm sure the NBA's marketing department would love it. In fact, the limited-edition #24 Tatum Celtics jerseys are already in production probably.

[sam_I_am]

Read on Twitter

not bad for a 19-year-old!

Wrong, Tatum ages backwards, he is 17 going on 16.

This is why he should be a starting all star over 35 year olds like Siakam or rookies like Simmons.

[captain green]

All star now sample that.....