NBA Notebook: Why are Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown shooting poorly from 3?

The Celtics set Sam Hauser up for a three running around a Robert Williams III screen, Williams III hit Derrick White on the short roll one play later for the first of his career-high eight three-pointers. Boston drained 25 in their 127-116 win over the Hornets, approaching their franchise record of 27 from earlier this season against the Knicks. They shot over 40% for the third straight game after falling into a 34.2% slump for nearly two months, where they finished 16-11. 

After five different Celtics drained 12 threes, including trade deadline addition Mike Muscala, Tatum hit his first later in the second quarter after two misses to start the game, later popping to the corner after showing screen, hitting a pull-up and catch-and-shoot three late to finish 5-for-10 with 41 points. Three-point volume drove Tatum's 30.8 point-per-game start to the season, as his 35.6% three-point mark surpassed last year's efficiency, but trails his 39.6% 3PT from the first four seasons of his career. Jaylen Brown also hit a career-low 33.1% from deep before his face injury. 

Joe Mazzulla pointed out the pair's increased volume when asked about their shooting, Tatum taking 9.3 triples each night, which along with improvement at the rim generated his career-best 54.2 eFG%. Brown increased his attempts from 7.0 to 7.6, but pointed out more tangible reasons. 

"I think this is probably the worst I've shot the ball from the three-point line in my whole career," Brown told Boston Sports Journal last week before suffering a facial fracture against Philadelphia. "I just think the responsibility, the role is a little different. I'm the guy driving to the paint creating those opportunities for everybody else. You've got a team that shoots a lot of threes, so I've kind of settled in, I'm trying to get to the basket more this year and that kind of has thrown a little bit of my dexterity off on my three-point shooting, but I'm still capable. If I get hot or if I take shots that I like, I can still fill it up, but for the most part this year, I've been trying to get to the rim ... if I focus more on shooting threes, I'd probably make more." 

Brown shot a career-high 12.6 attempts from two at a 58.2% rate, hitting an elite 51% of his mid-rangers and a career-best 77.9% from the free throw line, showing his prowess from shorter distances with his line drive release. He also thrived earlier in his career, converting 39.5% from three as a corner specialist in 2017-18, when he attempted 1.7 corner threes each night and hit 43.3%. This year, he's shooting 25.5% on 1.1 3PA from the corner. 

The biggest struggles for both Brown and Tatum come in pull-up situations, Brown shooting 32.5% and Tatum 28% from three off the dribble. Brown takes only 2.5 per game, Tatum takes over half of his 3 points in those situations, despite his revamped approach to play off-ball and create misdirections for easier shots. He hits 42.7% of his catch-and-shoot threes, which account for 4.4 of his 9.3 attempts. Teammates see that added attention from defenses as a factor, though Tatum is shooting below 35% on 4.7 attempts each game that qualify as open, with another 1.7 coming wide open (44%).  

"I think it's different. Early in their career, they're in different positions, they're hitting spot-up threes, it's a little simpler," Horford told BSJ. "Now, they're preparing against teams doubling them, teams coming at them in different ways, them having to play off the dribble. It just changes everything, so I don't really look at their percentages and if I'm them, I'm not worried about them. They're gonna get their shots, they're gonna get good quality looks and that's just the way that the game's going. At the end of the day, they have to take those shots, and I feel like they know that." 

The Celtics bought into 3-point volume as a vehicle to win tons of regular-season games under Mazzulla. They shot 40% from three as a team on 41.5 attempts per game through their 21-5 start. Only the Warriors attempted more, and the approach contrasted against Ime Udoka's team that took 37.1 per game (11th) at a 35.6% efficiency. Tatum (35.3%) and Brown (35.8%) didn't excel on threes last year either, but faced more resistance running high pick-and-roll on the ball rather than operating off-ball and in transition more often this year, shooting slightly more open and wide open shots per game. 

Tatum doesn't rank among the top 20 players in double teams received and obsessive spacing allowed Brown and Tatum to both shoot 70% at the rim on six attempts each per game, up from 68% last year for Tatum and 4.9 attempts for Brown. The Celtics follow in the footsteps of some of the most 3-point-reliant teams, ranking 24th in attempts at the rim. Only the 2018, 2019 and 2020 Rockets, 2021 Jazz and 2023 Warriors have shot more threes per game than this year's Celtics, who attempt 47.7% of their field goal attempts behind the line, third in the NBA. Muscala won't help their interior scoring like pricier targets Jakob Poetl and Kelly Olynyk would've. Muscala is nearly an exclusive three-point shooter. 

The 2018 Rockets flamed out on an 0-for-27 cold spell in Game 7 of the West finals against Golden State, lost to them in six games in 2019, shooting 36% from three and fell to the Lakers in five in the Bubble hitting the same percentage. Utah lost in round two, complicated by Rudy Gobert's struggles, while the three Bucks teams in recent history who shot the most threes lost in the east. Their championship team ranked eighth in attempts and after the Celtics turned cold this winter, their offense slipped to 16th over their last 35 games. 

When that happens in the playoffs, they'll need Brown and Tatum to hit the shots the latter did to halt a late Charlotte rally. 

"For (Brown and Tatum), they shoot a lot of shots off the dribble with the ball in their hands, and they're really good at it," Marcus Smart said. "But when you're the go-to guys and you got the ball in your hands constantly, guys are locked in and focused on you, and it's not necessarily just one guy. It makes those shots a little harder, so for us, it's our job to kind of make things easy for them by allowing them to just spot up and not exert as much energy trying to get a three off, if it's there, or just trying to make the right read and getting them an easy bucket in general." 

Here's what happened at the NBA Trade Deadline... 

Atlanta (28-28): Acquired Pistons forward Saddiq Bey in a three-team deal with the Pistons and Warriors in exchange for five second-round picks that went to Golden State. They failed to deal John Collins again, though conversations lasted until the deadline, leaving the stalling trio of Trae Young, Clint Capela and Collins together until at least the offseason. They also traded Justin Holiday and Frank Kaminsky to Houston, and brought back Bruno Fernando alongside former Celtic Garrison Mathews. The deal is on the verge of falling apart as of Friday due to Gary Payton II's failed physical. 

Boston (40-16): Traded for Thunder shooting big man Mike Muscala for Justin Jackson and their worst 2023 second-round pick and their own 2029 second-rounder. They pursued Spurs big man Jakob Poetl, reportedly offering that pair of second-round selections, Payton Pritchard and Danilo Gallinari. The Celtics kept both of them and fell short of Toronto's offer, before reportedly circling back on Kelly Olynyk, who they weren't close on and landing Muscala as an extra big at solid value. Concerns remain in case they lose Al Horford or Robert Williams III in the playoffs, but Boston beat Philadelphia emphatically on Wednesday with both big men out. Jaylen Brown, injured in the win, suffered a maxillary (le fort) fracture in a collision with Jayson Tatum and will avoid surgery, Brad Stevens said. He'll miss at least into the all-star break, with no replacement named yet for him. 

Brooklyn (33-22): Traded Kevin Durant and TJ Warren to the Suns for Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder and 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029 first-round picks, a 2028 pick swap, along with a pair of future second-rounders. The overnight blockbuster changed the NBA landscape, and officially ended a Nets era that might go down as the worst failure in NBA history. The Nets won seven playoff games, one series and the Celtics swept them last postseason in their final postseason appearance. 

All they have to show for Kyrie Irving and James Harden are Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, Ben Simmons, Seth Curry and three future firsts from Philadelphia and Dallas. A solid team remains that lacks a front man and probably won't be able to compete with the east's elite, though Cam Thomas' rise in Irving's absence proved encouraging. They owe Houston a pick swap this year, then alternating future firsts unprotected and swaps from 2024-2027. 

Charlotte (15-42): Traded Mason Plumlee to the Clippers for Reggie Jackson, who they plan to buy out, and a 2028 second-rounder. They also sent impending free agent Jalen McDaniels to Philadelphia, along with a 2024 second-rounder, for Svi Mykhailiuk, Philadelphia's second-rounder this year and one from Portland in 2027. The soft sell kept Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward in town, along with P.J. Washington ahead of his restricted free agency. They're the fourth-worst team in the NBA, 1.5 games behind last-place Houston and opened more minutes for rookie center Mark Williams. 

Chicago (26-29): Stood pat at the trade deadline despite reports indicating they discussed a Zach LaVine trade with the Knicks. They kept him, DeMar DeRozan and GM Arthur Karnišovas said he hopes to keep Nikola Vučević when he becomes a free agent this summer. The Bulls saw an opportunity to rise and compete in the east once the Nets traded their stars, also retaining depth players Alex Caruso, Javonte Green and Andre Drummond. The deal would've potentially involved future first-round picks and players, but broke apart over those who were involved. It's possible Quinton Grimes became the contention point, as it did with the Donovan Mitchell deal, with the Knicks reportedly offering Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose and a young rotation player, along with draft compensation. It's possible the two sides revisit the deal in the offseason, Ian Begley reported. 

Cleveland (36-22): Won four straight games and stood pat at the trade deadline, hoping Isaac Okoro's shooting improvements continue and Caris LeVert stays during the offseason. Whispers emerged that Kevin Love could be bought out after falling out of the rotations, but GM Koby Altman said the team and Love didn't discuss one. Chicago and Cleveland finished the day as the only two teams leading up to the deadline who didn't make at least one trade, strapped for assets after the Donovan Mitchell trade (could only offer one future pick swap) and not seeing a deal that was worth it. 

Dallas (31-26): Kyrie Irving scored 24 points with four rebounds and five assists 9-for-17 in a dazzling display of off-ball offense in a win over the Clippers. He arrived to immediate controversy, answering questions about why he deleted an apology post on his Instagram for posting an antisemitic film in the fall while playing for the Nets, which led to his suspension. Irving said he deletes posts all the time and stands by his apology, adding that he has many Jewish people in his life. He also criticized the Nets, saying he felt disrespected and wanted to land on a team where he felt celebrated. When he took the podium on Wednesday night into Thursday morning, he reacted to the Durant news. 

“I’m just glad that (Durant) got out of there,” he said. 

Detroit (15-42): Kept Bojan Bogdanovic, as their four-team trade with the Warriors, Hawks and Rockets sits in jeopardy after they landed former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman in exchange for Saddiq Bey, who's extension-eligible this summer. Wiseman averaged 9.9 PPG and 5.0 RPG while shooting 54.1% in 60 games with the Warriors over three years, spending significant time in the G-League this year after missing last season with a knee injury. He struggled to fit in the Warriors' movement offense, but still brings potential as a floor and rim-running offensive threat. He'll need to compete with Marvin Bagley III, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart for minutes in a crowded front court, and is signed for $12.1 million next year before restricted free agency. Detroit is tied with Charlotte for the league's third-worst record, 1.5 games back of Houston. 

Golden State (28-27): Traded James Wiseman and landed standout defensive star Gary Payton II from their 2022 championship from the Blazers, whose health now puts the entire four-team deal in jeopardy. Payton played only 15 games for Portland due to offseason abdominal surgery, and failed his physical upon arrival in Golden State, Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported. It revealed Payton, who received shots to pay through pain, could need to miss 2-3 months to recover and the Warriors now receive the right to fully rescind or amend the trade, with their decision unclear for now. Steph Curry, who injured his superior tibiofibular ligaments and other leg muscles on Feb. 4, will be re-evaluated after the all-star break. They're tied with Minnesota and New Orleans for the seventh seed, in the playoffs by 1.0 game over Oklahoma City and behind home-court advantage by 2.0 games. 

Houston (13-43): Played facilitator at the deadline by absorbing John Wall and Danny Green's contracts in a three-team trade with Memphis and the Clippers, sending Eric Gordon to LA. The Rockets received the right to swap their pick from the Bucks this year from the P.J. Tucker trade for the Clippers' first-round pick, effectively sending LA to the end of the first round and moving Houston to the middle. The Rockets are expected to waive Wall and make him a free agent, while Adrian Wojnarowski reported Green wants the same treatment, rather than a buyout. The Celtics, Cavaliers and Lakers will pursue Green, 35, in the buyout market, who returned from ACL surgery in the spring on Feb. 1, shooting 3-for-11 in his first three games back. 

Indiana (25-32): Sit 1.5 games back of the playoff picture in the east, now behind Washington, after losing to Cleveland, Miami and Phoenix this week. They made minor additions, adding George Hill, Jordan Nwora and Serge Ibaka as facilitators in the Nets-Bucks Jae Crowder trade. They received three future second-round picks from the Bucks in the deal and cash considerations from Brooklyn. The Pacers will waive Ibaka, making him a free agent and welcomed Hill back to the team he played for from 2011-2016 at 36 years old. Nwora, 24, shot 37.6% from three in three seasons with Milwaukee and is signed for $3 million next year. Tyrese Haliburton is averaging 16.0 PPG, 9.4 APG and 1.8 SPG on 47.6% shooting since returning from injury. 

Clippers (31-28): Solidified their team at the trade deadline by adding Bones Hyland from Denver, Mason Plumlee from Charlotte and Eric Gordon from Houston. They still need back court playmaking help, sending out John Wall and Reggie Jackson in the deal after their struggled during the first half of the season, also trading Luke Kennard to Memphis. Paul George will recruit his former Thunder teammate Russell Westbrook when he becomes a free agent, though he'll reportedly pick between Chicago and Miami after being traded to Utah from the Lakers. Hyland, 22, averaged 12.1 PPG and 3.0 APG for Denver this year before his role and relationship with Michael Malone's staff soured. He'll start in LA for now. 

Lakers (25-31): Traded Russell Westbrook after a reported spat between him and head coach Darvin Ham during his last game, a loss to the Thunder on the night LeBron James became the all-time leading NBA scorer, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in an emotional moment on Tuesday. James will now suit up with D'Angelo Russell, who played for LA from 2015-2017 and is shooting 39.1% from three, by far the best mark of his career. 

The Lakers also landed shooter Malik Beasley and young big man Jarred Vanderbilt in the three-team trade, which involved LA's 2027 first-round pick that is top-four protected, converting to a second-rounder if it doesn't convey. LA also traded Thomas Bryant, who requested one after receiving diminishing playing time, to Denver for Davon Reed and a second-round pick. They flipped another Denver second and Patrick Beverley for Mo Bamba, who will step into that backup big man role. Beverley will become a free agent. The Lakers sit 2.5 games behind Utah for the 10th seed, also trailing Portland and Oklahoma. 

Memphis (34-21): Almost made a ginormous splash by landing Kevin Durant or O.G. Anunoby, but settled for adding shooting guard Luke Kennard. Zach Lowe reported the Grizzlies long prepared to offer every future pick and swap they own, including a 2024 Warriors first-round pick, to land Durant, who ultimately chose to go to Phoenix in a trade that returned just five first-rounders for Brooklyn. Memphis didn't come close, Lowe wrote, nor did they on Anunoby, who they offered three firsts for alongside nearly half the league, but Toronto ultimately decided to keep him without a player piece coming back. They beat the Bulls and Timberwolves this week to end a three-game losing streak and visit Boston for a big 2 p.m. matchup on Sunday. 

Miami (31-25): Count them among the inactive on deadline day, only sending Dewayne Dedmon to San Antonio in a salary dump and otherwise maintaining their roster that's moving up the east hierarchy. The Nets' demise adds hope that the Heat will finish above the play-in line, as does their play in the new year, beating the Pacers and Rockets this week to move to 12-7 in the new year with the league's top defense over that stretch (109.5 DR). They still ranked 24th in offense in those games, struggling to shoot, with their 50.9 eFG% ranking last. They needed some scoring help and didn't get it. Ascending backup Orlando Robinson can join the team on a full contract now, allowing him to play in the postseason after signing as a two-way. 

Milwaukee (39-17): Won their 10th straight game on a back-to-back against the Clippers where Khris Middleton sat and Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 35 more points after dropping 38 on the Lakers on Thursday. Antetokounmpo moved into second on the NBA's MVP ladder, pulling the Bucks to within 1.0 game of the Celtics ahead of their meeting on Tuesday, which Milwaukee will rest until. Middleton is shooting 49%, though struggling from three in nine games back from knee injury, hitting 10-of-18 from the field against the Lakers. 

Jae Crowder's arrival will help insure against any ailments he faces or rest he needs down the stretch, landing the veteran wing for five second-round picks after the Nets acquired him. They rank 10th in offense and second in defense during their win streak, while Antetokounmpo averages 37.3 PPG, 13.4 RPG and 5.5 APG on 59.8% shooting.

Minnesota (30-29): Strange to see them move D'Angelo Russell in a trade that only netted them Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and three future second-rounders from the Jazz and Lakers. They needed to decide on Russell's future this summer and acquired a crafty veteran the Jazz commanded a high price for, landing him through LA's willingness to give up its own 2027 first-rounder in the deal. Conley played with Rudy Gobert last year in Utah and is signed for next season, but his upside is far lower than Russell's, scoring nine points on 3-for-7 shooting in his Minnesota debut.

New Orleans (29-28): Zion Williamson (hamstring) will miss into the all-star break after his replacement was announced this week for the game. His Pelicans got back on their feet with three straight wins before a Friday loss to Cleveland, receiving big scoring nights from CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram and Trey Murphy III recently. They traded Devonte' Graham to the Spurs for Josh Richardson to pad their wing depth ahead of the postseason in exchange for four future second-round picks. Richardson had averaged 11.5 PPG and 3.3 APG on 43.6% shooting with the Spurs this year and will enter free agency this summer. 

New York (30-27): Landed Josh Hart for Cam Reddish and a protected first-round pick, an admirable return for a player the Knicks long looked to trade. Hart, 27, joins his third team in two seasons, but blossomed as a glue guy for the Blazers after landing there in the CJ McCollum trade, averaging 11.7 PPG, 7.6 RPG and 4.0 APG on 50.4% shooting between this season and last. He'll likely decline his $13-million player option and become a free agent this summer. The Knicks pursued O.G. Anunoby and Zach LaVine at the deadline, but apparently limited how far they'd go for either and could revisit either trade in the summer with the Raptors and Bulls standing pat on those players. New York looks like a top-six seed lock after Brooklyn's demise. 

Oklahoma City (27-28): Brian Windhorst considered the Mike Muscala trade a tanking move for the Thunder and while they fared excellently in his minutes, outscoring opponents by 11.4 more points per possession compared to when he sat, Oklahoma City's core players remain to make a push for the play-in tournament, which they're only one game back of. The Thunder also traded Darius Bazley to Phoenix for Dario Šarić and a second-round pick after failing to extend Bazley ahead of free agency. Šarić should help the Thunder as a veteran presence and enters free agency this summer. 

Orlando (23-33): Settled for a quiet deadline by trading Mo Bamba to the Lakers for Patrick Beverley, who they'll release, and a Denver second-round pick. Bamba is currently serving a four-game suspension for his brawl with Austin Rivers. They beat the Nuggets before the deadline to improve to six wins over their last 10, surpassing their 22 wins from last season and remaining on pace for 34, a figure that places them below the play-in line, but a massive improvement. They rank 11th in net rating in the new year, 18th in offense and ninth in defense. They will buy out Terrence Ross ahead of his free agency, according to Wojnarowski. 

Philadelphia (35-19): Doc Rivers assured the 76ers have a plan for Joel Embiid's sore left foot, which plagued him throughout the first half of the season and could force him to miss the All-Star Game next week. He scored 28 points on 11-for-21 shooting in Boston, a stunning loss in an important game for the Sixers against a Celtics team without Al Horford or Robert Williams III that night. Embiid led a home win over the Knicks with 35 points in 38 minutes on 14-for-18 shooting, keeping his own MVP case alive at fourth in the NBA's ladder behind Jayson Tatum. The Celtics and 76ers meet again later this month in Philadelphia, with Jalen McDaniels arriving in exchange for Matisse Thybulle as the Sixers' lone deadline move. 

Phoenix (31-27): Devin Booker scored 40 points to beat the Nets and Pacers in his return from 21 games off with a groin injury. He'll receive reinforcements in several weeks when Kevin Durant recovers from his MCL sprain, arriving at the trade deadline in a stunning deal that sent MIkal Bridges to Brooklyn, a real loss for the team's defense, but allowed Phoenix to retain Deandre Ayton.

They're now among the west favorites after fading from the top of the conference earlier in the year and their Durant pursuit puts their offer of Chris Paul for Kyrie Irving in better context. Irving and Durant left Brooklyn on good terms and could've continued playing together, but Paul might be a better fit as a facilitator despite his age showing this year. TJ Warren also returned to the Suns in the deal, with Ish Wainwright, Jock Landale and Damion Lee providing impressive depth for a team with a big three. 

Portland (27-29): Strange deadline could lead them back to square one, losing Josh Hart for a minimal return and seeing their Gary Payton II trade possibly falter. They would've received five second-round picks in the deal. The Warriors can amend the trade or scratch it, which would carry significant repercussions across four teams. The Blazers thought Payton was healthy while playing for them, setting up an interesting negotiation in the coming days. The Trail Blazers remain without a clear direction regardless of what happens, needing defensive help and giving up a defender they signed to a three-year, $26.2 million contract last summer before Payton underwent abdominal surgery that cost him 35 games. He only played 15 for the Blazers. 

Sacramento (31-24): Added Kessler Edwards from the Nets in a quiet trade deadline, while De'Aaron Fox got named as an all-star replacement and will join Domantas Sabonis in Utah, a recognition of a startling turnaround for the franchise. The Suns and Mavericks will threaten their home-court status in the second half after landing a pair of superstars, Dallas only one game behind Sacramento and the Suns sit 1.5 back. Edwards, who averaged 1.1 PPG in 14 appearances with Brooklyn this year, won't help them much. Kyrie Irving beat out Fox and Sabonis on Friday with 25 points and 10 assists.

San Antonio (14-42): Scored a top-six protected first-round pick for Jakob Poetl, not bad with Boston reportedly offering second-rounders and 55 seconds moving largely setting a low market for players across the league at the deadline. They netted four of them for Josh Richardson in a trade with the Pelicans, while Doug McDermott's contract status allowed them to keep him around for another year. Khem Birch came from Toronto in the Poetl deal and Devonte' Graham from New Orleans, as the Spurs should improve their status as a contender for the league's worst record. 

Toronto (26-31): Acquired former Raptor Jakob Poetl and kept Fred VanVleet, O.G. Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr. in probably the biggest surprise of the trade deadline. President Masai Ujiri stood by the team's ability to contend after a dreadful first half, sharing Chicago's optimism after Brooklyn's sale at the deadline. It's true Toronto only sits 0.5 games back of the 10th seed and the play-in tournament, but they've built little positive momentum toward competitiveness this season and they're 0-4 against the Celtics and Bucks, who they'd inevitably play in round one. They probably needed a reset. 

Utah (28-29): Traded Malik Beasley to the Lakers and Mike Conley to the Timberwolves in a three-team deal centered on Lakers improvements, earning them a top-four protected Lakers pick in 2027 just to take on Russell Westbrook's one remaining year. Helping pull D'Angelo Russell away from Minnesota in exchange for an aging Conley also proved to be a shrewd move to potentially improve the picks they're already owed from the Rudy Gobert trade, while Danny Ainge and company stood pat on moving Kelly Olynyk, Jordan Clarkson and their core players, keeping a playoff push alive.

Washington (25-29): Didn't make a deal on deadline day, which keeps them on a trajectory that's close to play-in tournament status and probably falls just short. Trading Rui Hachimura still doesn't make a ton of sense, as he's shown as much promise as any of their young wings. Kyle Kuzma is heading to unrestricted free agency after this year and Bradley Beal's best value as a trade candidate falls in the past since he signed his massive contract extension. It's hard to imagine a team with a worse outlook, because the Blazers can still rely on Lillard's elite play. Beal's falls short at this point.