Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn, Jayson Tatum.
That’s the list of Celtics rookies who have posted double-doubles in their first taste of the postseason. Tatum’s 19-point, 10-rebound performance in Boston’s 113-107 overtime win over the Bucks on Sunday also made him just the fifth 20-year-old to ever post a double-double in his playoff debut, joining some mostly elite company on that front (Magic Johnson, Tracy McGrady, Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley).
“Not at all (surprised)," Marcus Morris said of the performance after the game. “I’ve said it – I expect him to do well. I’m around him every day. Calling him rook is the only rookie thing about him.”
While Tatum’s teammates piled up points at the free-throw line after intentional fouls in the final minutes of regulation and overtime, Tatum’s contributions across the box score (19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals, one block) came in the midst of some of the game’s most pivotal sequences. His ability to shoot the 3 and step up in crunch time has been proven all year long, but Sunday’s effort showcased his tools across the board in a very promising way for Celtics fans — for both now, and the future.
Consider these facets of the game where Tatum boosted the Celtics:
Keeping the Celtics afloat while Al Horford rested
The All-Star big man went to the bench at the start of the fourth quarter having already played 32 minutes. The Celtics were up four points to start the period, but the last time Horford went to the bench, the Bucks got off to a 24-4 run in the second quarter and turned the game around. With offense hard to come by, the C’s needed to find a way to hold serve as Horford rested. Tatum rose to the occasion on this front with a couple of high-level postups against Malcolm Brogdon.
In those four minutes Horford rested, the Celtics outscored the Bucks by three points and Tatum was involved in every single scoring play for the C’s, whether it be via the pass (two assists) or scoring (four points). The ability for a rookie to be the center of attention for a defense and still manage to carry an offense in small stretches is going to be a needed development if the Celtics want to win this series.
Hitting the glass
The Celtics are going to go small a ton in this series and that’s been a problem for all year long on the defensive-rebounding front. Al Horford has been a declining rebounder for years due to his age and against the length of the Bucks frontcourt, it could be a vulnerable area for Boston if their bigs aren’t hitting the boards hard. On Sunday, both Horford and Tatum stepped up on that front. The rookie snatched 10 rebounds (just two fewer than Horford) as the C’s cleaned up on the defensive glass all day long exceptionally well. The Bucks had only five offensive rebounds on 43 missed shots, which helped the C’s outscore them 22-4 on second-chance points.
Tatum’s rebounding has fluctuated all year long, but he clearly has the length to get his hands dirty down low against the right opponents. He’s showing a better awareness to crash in Boston’s small-ball lineups, as evidenced by his boxout of Giannis Antetokounmpo in overtime.
Tatum’s contributions in that area earned him some accolades from Horford after the win.
“He was very composed,” Horford explained. “Obviously, he made some mistakes but he did a lot more good than bad. He was just very poised, making the right plays, great defensive plays, big rebounds. I was impressed by the way that he was getting in there and getting some tough rebounds there. Just shows the kind of player that he is. Not only on offense but he’s impacting the game on the defensive end, too.”
Shot creation in big spots
In a postseason run in which the youngsters on this Celtics team will be thrown to the wolves, no inexperienced Celtic had a tougher task than Tatum in this matchup. The rookie was dealing with an elite veteran in Khris Middleton — who has the length and experience to give the 6-foot-9 forward fits — on the defensive end most of the game.
Brad Stevens is going to have to work hard all series long to put his rookie in spots to gain some separation, but it was promising to see the Tatum still find a way to get to his spot in a critical moment.
The Celtics led by one point with just over a minute remaining in overtime when Tatum got the ball at the top of the key. He proceeded to shake Middleton on his move into the post and used his length to finish around Antetokounmpo in one of the best running finishes you’ll see all year. Notice how dismayed Middleton and the Bucks bench are after the play. They know they couldn’t have defended it any better, yet Tatum managed to score anyway.
Tatum drops in the shot at an absolutely ridiculous angle! pic.twitter.com/8tB4glzFLU
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 15, 2018
Tatum's clutch block at the end of OT! #CUsRise #NBARooks pic.twitter.com/u094L57Bka
— NBA (@NBA) April 15, 2018
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