Jayson Tatum

At NBA Finals media day on Wednesday, Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka was asked about his team's struggles finishing around the rim, one of the many flaws to ...

If he can either finish in the paint or limit his turnovers (his 95 are the most by any player in a single postseason of all time) and get everyone else involved, Boston can win and potentially steal Game 7 on the road. “But it’s on him to read that and us to put him in positions where, understanding he’s going to be doubled and be the bait at times, get everybody else involved. Even in Game 1 when Tatum couldn’t score, his facilitating was a major reason as to why the Celtics had so much offensive success, which they’ve severely lacked for large amounts of time. In the two games Boston won, Tatum finished with 13 and nine assists. Jayson Tatum is at the center of this problem, not just for the last game, but for the entire NBA Finals. In matter of fact, he’s shooting better from beyond the arc than inside it. The guy is going to be there.

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As we can see by glancing at the box above, Tatum is significantly better in every statistical category than his hero, with the exception of turnovers – which we've already looked at – and his percentage from the field which is only slightly better due to his struggles inside the 3-point line during this series. If he can find a way to unlock scoring in and around the paint in Game 6, and potentially Game 7, that could turn the tide of the series. "I think he's put himself in the conversation as being one of the best players in the league. The Celtics have had to ride Tatum hard this postseason after sweeping Brooklyn in the first round. You're going to be a little more tired in the fourth than you are in the first quarter. Game 4: Turnovers have blighted Tatum throughout the NBA Playoffs and the six committed in Game 4 comprised his worst tally for any single game of this series. His scoring run included 13 in the first half, and he also helped drive the Celtics forward during a furious third-quarter run, in which they drilled an NBA Finals-record eight consecutive 3-pointers as a team. Tatum, who was looking to strike a balance between scoring and playmaking as well as his defense – after showing flashes of all three in the opening two games on the road – found the sweet spot in Game 3 with 26 points to go with nine assists, and a plus-minus of plus-13. Some of that fatigue and decision-making could [have played] a part in the fourth quarter." He didn't top-score for his team, that honour went to Jaylen Brown on a night that the other 'Jay', along with Tatum and Marcus Smart, made some history. He scored 28 points and shot 6-for-9 beyond the arc, but when the Celtics' outside shooting went cold in the third quarter, the Warriors turned a close game into a rout. Game 1: Tatum really struggled with his shooting, finishing with 12 points going 3-for-17 from the field.

Jayson Tatum spoke to the media following the Boston Celtics Game 6 NBA Finals loss, and was asked what he feels like he needs to improve on.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith joins "Felger & Mazz" to share his thoughts on Jayson Tatum, and whether the Celtics star has the right mentality to lead Boston to ...

He can finish in the open court, plus he can defend. "I think he wants to have it, but talking about Kobe (Bryant) and the 'Mamba Mentality' is entirely different than being that dude. "I have all the confidence in the world for him in the future," Smith said. He can take you off the dribble. "For this series, my number one problem with him is that he looks for the referees for help every play. He's shooting just 5-for-21 (23.8 percent) in the final frame this series.

BOSTON (AP) — When Jayson Tatum made consecutive baskets to cap a game-opening Boston blitz, TD Garden was at its absolute loudest. It sure got quiet in a hurry ...

As tough as it is, it’s been a great year, been a great journey.” And it's not like Tatum is unproven in big moments — he was massive for USA Basketball last summer in the gold-medal game win over France. That put them in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. He added a third basket in the first quarter to give the Celtics a 22-16 lead, but that was their last points before getting overrun by an avalanche of 21 straight Golden State points. They were outscored 57-39 in the fourth quarters of Games 4 and 5, perhaps fatigued from a long playoff run. Some fans cried out for him to go get the ball, but even when he did, it just didn't work out down the stretch.

Jayson Tatum suffered a right shoulder stinger in the Eastern Conference finals, leading some to speculate if the injury was bothering him in the NBA Finals ...

This offseason will mark the first “normal” offseason of rest Tatum’s had in three years. I feel like I could’ve done a lot of things better. We all could’ve done things better. But, like we said, we competed, we tried all season, all playoffs. Tatum’s severe workload goes longer than just Monday’s Game 5. Following the Celtics’ Game 5 loss, in which Tatum played all but the final minute of the second half, Ime Udoka said he believed fatigue could’ve played a factor in Tatum air balling shots down the stretch.

BOSTON (AP) — When Jayson Tatum made consecutive baskets to cap a game-opening Boston blitz, TD Garden was at its absolute loudest.

As tough as it is, it’s been a great year, been a great journey.” And it's not like Tatum is unproven in big moments — he was massive for USA Basketball last summer in the gold-medal game win over France. That put them in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. He added a third basket in the first quarter to give the Celtics a 22-16 lead, but that was their last points before getting overrun by an avalanche of 21 straight Golden State points. They were outscored 57-39 in the fourth quarters of Games 4 and 5, perhaps fatigued from a long playoff run. Some fans cried out for him to go get the ball, but even when he did, it just didn't work out down the stretch.

But another possible variable here is the shoulder stinger Tatum suffered in that Game 3 loss to the Heat. Tatum never missed a game with that injury. He even ...

Tatum did not speak about it in much depth at his post-game press conference, but when he was asked if he expected to have any sort of procedure done on his shoulder in the offseason, he responded simply "no, I don't think so." But another possible variable here is the shoulder stinger Tatum suffered in that Game 3 loss to the Heat. Tatum never missed a game with that injury. Before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, Jayson Tatum was averaging over 28 points per game on 45 percent shooting from the field in the playoffs.

The Boston Celtics star finished Thursday's Game 6 with 13 points on 6-of-18 shooting, seven assists, three rebounds and five turnovers, failing to step up ...

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No matter the sport, by the time teams reach the championship round they're usually dealing with a handful of injuries. That was the case in the 2022 NBA ...

He averaged just 21.5 points per game – his fewest of any playoff series since 2019, and shot under 40 percent from the floor. When asked if he’ll need surgery on his shoulder after the season, Tatum told reporters “I don’t think so.” That was the case in the 2022 NBA Finals, where both teams had star players reportedly playing through physical issues.

Brandon Ingram had a fantastic season for the New Orleans Pelicans but still didn't make All-NBA, so what does he have to do to catch Jayson Tatum?

Rebound more: Tatum averaged eight rebounds per game this season and has been over seven per game in the last three seasons. Jayson Tatum has been a relative Iron Man in comparison, playing 76 games this season and going over 70 three times out of five years. Tatum has already been deep into the playoffs, now including a trip to the NBA Finals. When the New Orleans Pelicans start winning consistently, Ingram will get more recognition.

As Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is fighting to keep his team alive in the NBA Finals against Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, another matchup with Tatum was ...

Lonzo was selected No. 2 by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017 NBA draft. The Boston Celtics took Tatum with the No. 3 pick. See the full clip below.

The Warriors showed some great sportsmanship after defeating the Celtics 103-90 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals to win the series 4-2.

He also averaged 3.8 turnovers per contest and struggled to make plays against tough defenders like Green and Andrew Wiggins. "Now, Jayson Tatum is like a young version of that. "The only player that you can come even remotely close to comparing him to in this league is Kevin Durant,” Green said.

It's tough. You don't want to feel like this again, but you want to get back here,” Tatum said after the Celtics lost to the Warriors in the NBA Finals.

That they’ll take this loss, internalize it, and use it to fuel their internal combustion engines. This is just a start.” He did that throughout the first few series. The great what-if for Tatum and the Celtics is what if he had played to his normal standard? He’s also not the first Boston star to come up short. Magic Johnson was mocked as “Tragic Johnson” in the 1984 NBA Finals. He let the Warriors maneuver him to their spots all series, looking tentative and indecisive. … It stings that we kind of didn’t play to our potential. The Celtics young superstar flopped on the NBA’s biggest stage, and not in the Marcus Smart manner of tricking officials. Tatum spiked the ball in frustration. As Stephen Curry stood on a stage constructed on Jayson Tatum’s home court to officially crown the Golden State Warriors as NBA champions, he said that this championship hit different. Unlike parquet partner Jaylen Brown, who went down shooting with a 34-point night, Tatum signed off with a whimper.

Jaylen Brown revealed what he did to console Jayson Tatum after a tough night that resulted in a Game 6 loss to the Golden State Warriors.

"This is tough, getting to this point and not accomplishing what we wanted to," Tatum said. It stings that we kind of didn't play to our potential, but it is what it is. He was in despair on the sideline as he watched the Warriors celebrate their fourth championship in eight years on his home court. He finished with 13 points, seven assists and three rebounds in 40 minutes. "I know that obviously it was a game we felt like we could have won. Jayson Tatum made dubious NBA postseason history in the Game 6 loss to the Warriors

Will this NBA Finals loss fuel the Celtics? Or will they look back at the 2022 NBA Finals as the series they let slip away?

Will this NBA Finals loss fuel the Celtics as they seek "bigger and better things" in the future? Even if the Celtics can make it through the Eastern Conference bracket again, the Warriors or a new contender will be waiting for them. Tatum shouldn't be satisfied with an Eastern Conference Finals MVP trophy. Williams (24 years old), Tatum (24), Brown (25) and Smart (28) all have prime years ahead of them. Smart became the first guard since Gary Payton to win the Defensive Player of the Year award. They were under .500 nearly 50 games into the 2021-22 season before they went on an incredible tear, winning 28 of their final 35 games.

Following a loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals, Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown shared his message to teammate Jayson ...

"I know that obviously it was a game we felt like we could have won," Brown said. As tough as it is, it's been a great year, been a great journey...It just wasn't our time." "I just gave him a hug, man," Brown said.

Tatum concludes the 2022 playoff having averaged 25.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 24 games. Also averaging 4.2 turnovers per game, Tatum became the ...

- Celtics' Jayson Tatum: Excels in Game 7 win - Celtics' Jayson Tatum: Underwhelms in loss Also averaging 4.2 turnovers per game, Tatum became the first player in NBA history to record 100 turnovers in a single postseason.

In the first three rounds of the 2022 postseason—when the Celtics swept the Brooklyn Nets, overcame Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, and beat the ...

He's only 24 years old, and he made it to the Finals while tying for fourth in playoff value over replacement player. Right. As he matures, he'll get a better feel for when to make plays for others and when to really look for his own. From a macro level, the moneyballing of Tatum's game over the last few years has been a plus. Sure, it's probably smart to focus on getting free throws, layups and threes, but three-level scoring is exponentially more important in the heat of the postseason. A few more mid-range looks wouldn't hurt, but they shouldn't come at the expense of good shots from beyond the arc. Or, more importantly, who he can become. Tatum was great against the defense of Wesley Matthews, P.J. Tucker, Jrue Holiday, Kevin Durant and Jimmy Butler in earlier rounds this postseason. He made the All-NBA First Team and finished seventh in scoring. “[The] majority is over-penetrating, playing in the crowd, as I talk about quite often. Each of the efforts below his on that list took place between 1947 and 1961. Instead of trying to finish through contact (like Stanley Sugarman taught Bo Cruz to do), Tatum seemed more intent on exaggerating it. Forget measuring up to Stephen Curry. Tatum probably wasn't even on Andrew Wiggins' level.

Tatum looked defeated. After Thursday, he's headed into an offseason where he'll face more scrutiny than he ever has. Boston let a series it once controlled ...

This is only the start of how you’re going to be guarded and the attention you’re going to draw,” Udoka said. “This is tough, getting to this point and not accomplishing what we wanted to. The best thing that could happen to the Celtics for the foreseeable future would be Tatum leaving this series angry. He’s got to be more mature, tougher and probably a little nastier. To his credit, he didn’t blame his injured shoulder. This is just a start. When he hit the buzzer-beating game-winner in Game 1 against the Nets, it looked like a springboard to something special. Against a standard for most NBA players, Tatum had an amazing year: All-Star. First-Team All-NBA. Led his team to the Finals. He is the face of one of the most successful and storied franchises in all of sports. Tatum sounded more sad than mad Thursday night: “I could have done a lot of things better. His son is more recognizable than most professional athletes in the region. Tatum had just 13 points in the game. When the Celtics badly need a superstar-caliber performance from their best player, Tatum shrunk.

Tatum, the 24-year-old Boston Celtics forward, learned the hard way during the N.B.A. finals just how much it takes to be a championship-level leader.

“The growth he showed as a playmaker this year and in certain areas, I think this is the next step for him,” Udoka said. Boston lost the final three games of the series, committing 15 turnovers in Game 4, another 18 in Game 5 and a painful 22 in Game 6. He also struggled to finish at the rim. “We all could have done things better,” Tatum said. The Celtics scored 120 points in Game 1, their highest scoring game of the finals. Tatum already has a notable résumé. He has been named an N.B.A. All-Star for the past three seasons. His turnover numbers were lower than most of the players with better scoring averages than he had. They roared through the second half of the season and claimed the second seed in the East. “He did that throughout the first few series. A few minutes before, Tatum had to endure the indignity of watching another team, Golden State, celebrate winning a championship on his home court. He had not been at his best during the finals, often guarded by Golden State’s Andrew Wiggins. In the clinching game, Tatum scored only 13 points with 7 assists and 3 rebounds, while committing 5 turnovers. BOSTON — With a little more than a minute left in Game 6 of the N.B.A. finals, Celtics Coach Ime Udoka pulled his starters.

Tatum concludes the 2022 playoffs having averaged 25.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 24 games. Also averaging 4.2 turnovers per game, Tatum became the ...

- Celtics' Jayson Tatum: Excels in Game 7 win - Celtics' Jayson Tatum: Underwhelms in loss Also averaging 4.2 turnovers per game, Tatum became the first player in NBA history to record 100 turnovers in a single postseason.

Was this a singular chance for these surprise Boston Celtics or another battle scar on the road to an ultimate championship?

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