Celtics are lightening the load on Jayson Tatum (and it's paying off)

Jayson Tatum is one of two players (Terry Rozier) on the Celtics that has played every single game this year. He started all 65 of those contests and ranks fourth on the team in minutes per game (30.3). Only two 21-year-old rookies (Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell) have played more minutes than Tatum this year.

That type of playing load is a lot to ask of any rookie, let alone a 20-year-old. Still, Brad Stevens has played him that much for a reason over the first few months of the season. Tatum showed he was worthy of that playing time, and injuries at the wing limited Stevens’ options through the month of January.

"It's pretty incredible,” Stevens said of Tatum’s season this past week, “When you think about how young he is relative to the competition he goes up against every night, and how much that takes to prepare and catch up from a preparation standpoint. He's done a really good job of that all year.”

While Tatum’s a lock for the All-Rookie First Team, there’s no denying his production and overall play dipped a bit ahead of the All-Star break, as did the rest of his teammates’.

Over his last 20 games before the break, his averages declined across the board. He made just 41 percent of his shots from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range. His per-game averages for rebounds, assists, and free throw attempts also experienced notable declines. Tatum still averaged 12.3 points per game over that span, but he wasn’t doing it nearly as efficiently as he was over the first two months of the season, though his minutes' load remained high.

The good news for Celtics fans is Tatum has come back from the All-Star break with a little pep in his step. His 3-point shooting stroke (53 percent) is back, and he has looked more aggressive seeking out his shot inside the arc as well. Overall, Tatum’s per game averages are down from his season numbers, but that’s for good reason. Quietly, Stevens has reduced Tatum’s minutes load as the Celtics have become healthier once again. Take a look at where the Duke product ranks in minutes per game after the All-Star break.



Reduced minutes across the team are due to several blowout wins for Boston during the past couple weeks. Still, it’s evident Stevens is gently taking his foot off the gas a little bit to help manage Tatum through an 82-game campaign. The rookie hasn’t cracked the 30-minute mark in any of the six games since the break. It certainly helps that reserves like Marcus Morris are stepping up as appealing alternatives for the added workload.

The net results have been terrific for the 6-foot-8 forward thus far. He’s ahead of his per 36 minutes pace for the year (16.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists) over the last six games and has a +19.6 net rating (12 points above his season average). The Celtics also have their highest offensive rating (127.6) when Tatum is on the court over the past six games.

The improved efficiency comes as Stevens calls on Tatum to build on his superb rookie campaign down the stretch in his quest to become a star.

“You point to guys like Harden and Kyrie,” Stevens explained. “And those guys, no matter what, the great players in this league keep getting better and better every single year and that’s how they continue to separate themselves, because they know they have to improve to stay at the level they want to be at. So it’s a good example for guys like Tatum to look up to.”

As the Celtics manage the standings and maximize their roster down the stretch run, it’s no secret how important Tatum is to Boston’s odds of advancing deep into the postseason. His 3-point shooting, shot creation and length are essential to this team’s success, and Boston has played their best basketball all year long when he’s on the floor. Tatum may have run into the rookie wall for a stretch in January and early February, but the team is doing its best now at getting him through it.