Jayson Tatum's Dominant Start To The Year
The Boston Celtics are 18-3 so far this
year. They are set to face the Detroit Pistons tonight. Boston is
playing well but there is one player who is standing out, rookie Jayson Tatum.
Tatum played only one year of college
basketball, which was last season at Duke University. During that season
he average 16.8 points, 2.1 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game. Tatum
could score but who knew whether his style of play would translate to the
NBA. Tatum was projected to be a high draft pick and possibly be selected
in the top 5. The Boston Celtics decided to take him with the #3 overall
pick.
Tatum has made a flawless transition to
the NBA. He doesn’t look like a rookie but rather a veteran in the early
going. He is taking the place of the injured Gordon Hayward. Tatum
has started all 21 games in a Celtics’ uniform. In those games he is
averaging 13.9 points and 1.3 assists per game on the offensive end.
Tatum is able to drive in the lane for easy buckets. He can also find his
teammates for wide-open shots. Tatum is able to block out for rebounds
which equal second chance opportunities with a total of 5.5 rebounds per game.
With his presence on the court, the Celtics haven’t missed a beat.
On the defensive end, Tatum plays
lockdown defense. He doesn’t permit opponents to get decent looks at the
basket and he forces them to earn their points. Teams have to be careful
when handling the ball. Tatum can steal and that creates a fast break for
the Celtics which end in more points.
Tatum is playing at a high level even
though it’s only November. The way he is performing, he will be NBA
Rookie Of The Year. Tatum has bigger plans and that is to help this
Celtics team make a deep run in the playoffs. If he keeps playing like
this the rest of the year, the Celtics should be able to make the Conference
Finals. He must avoid an injury that could derail the Celtics as well as
his season.
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