What’s wrong with Jayson Tatum?
It might be the number one question I’ve been asked in recent weeks. Tatum had been mired in a funk to start the season, and the best explanation that I could muster is that Ime Udoka has been asking him to do uncomfortable things, and that has been occupying a lot of processing power in his brain. And just like when you download a new app that eats up a lot of your device’s memory, other apps that used to work well suddenly move more slowly.
Udoka has challenged is 23-year-old star to be more well rounded. That has taken things that have come naturally to Tatum and put them aside so he can focus on things he hasn’t been used to doing. In a sense, Udoka has pruned the tree so it can grow, focusing more of its energy on the right branches and less on others.
And so, the real answer to what’s wrong with Tatum might simply have been, “nothing, just give him time.”
One element to Tatum’s game that was especially frustrating for him on the floor and for those who watch him was his inability to finish at the rim. In his first 16 games, Tatum shot 51.5% from inside five feet of the rim, and 54.8% in the restricted area.
That's not good.
Lately, though, Tatum has been finding clearer paths to the rim. Perhaps it was appropriate that it was on most obvious display against a team named for people who cleared paths through the wilderness.
Against the Trail Blazers, Tatum spun and nudged and bodied his way to finishes that were challenged less than usual. It continued a trend for Tatum who, over the last eight games, has pushed his percentages to 68.6% inside five feet, and 71% in the restricted area.
“I think just getting more of a rhythm,” he said of the uptick. “Twenty some-odd games in, I feel a lot better about myself Game 22 or whatever than I did Game 1, and I think that’s just, I think that’s how it goes. The more games you play, the more comfortable you get.”
Here’s a play that shows off Tatum at his individual best.
Three crossover dribbles set up the inside-out dribble and get Robert Covington to bite on thinking a fourth crossover is coming. When he shifts right, Tatum blows by his left. The quick hop gets him past one help defender and it adds the power of jumping off two feet, which gets him to finish through contact.
“(He’s) in general being more aggressive, not always settling when he has an advantage,” Udoka said. “I felt even early in the season, he missed some easy shots or got some contact where he didn’t get a foul, so I felt even though his looks, we understood all that was gonna fall.”
Tatum has always had some craftiness to his game, and now that he’s starting to settle into what his coach wants and his team needs, he can use that to his advantage.
Here, manipulates the defense into an easy path to the rim:
Step one: The Celtics set up what appears to be a play they run a lot. Grant Williams and Enes K. Freedom prepare a stagger screen across the top. It draws Jusuf Nurkic out of the paint because he expects Tatum to come around the Williams screen. Tatum sells that with a fake to his left that everyone bites on, probably because they’ve scouted this play and that's what’s supposed to happen.
Step two: A subtle pass fake that gets CJ McCollum to think Tatum, now tasked with moving the ball, will pass it to a wide open Smart in the corner. The net effect makes it look like McCollum is just scrambling out of the way.
He faked four of the five Blazers on the floor out of the way for an easy deuce.
“I think he’s had some success getting to the basket, getting to the free throw line, and that's encouraged him to drive more and not settle as much,” Udoka said. “And today with the team, especially with some of the guys out, we felt we could attack some mismatch and get to the basket without a ton of rim protection. And obviously he did that very well.”
This is where Tatum really had some fun.
Tatum owes Kemba Walker some money for stealing this move from him.
Larry Nance, Jr. gambled for a steal, so he hit the brakes hard and thought Tatum was going to the rim again. At this point, he has no choice but to turn his hips, open up his shoulders, and try to beat Tatum to a spot.
Tatum recognizes this instantly and instead of driving, he pulls a Kemba step-back out to the 3-point line.
Tatum has started cold before, but he bounced back pretty nicely. This has taken a little bit longer, but over the past few games, he’s been able to find some very open driving lanes that didn't exist earlier this year.
Much like a football team’s “run to set up the pass” mentality, Tatum’s drive to set up the 3-pointer game will be a key element to him raising his game. If he can continue creating these open lanes, while adding improved playmaking, then he might actually be able to live up to Udoka’s lofty goals for his young star.
