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Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum needs to be the bail out option

By Joshua Bateman

MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 26: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics attempts a shot while being guarded by Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 and Khris Middleton #22 of the Milwaukee Bucks in the third quarter during Game Six of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at the Bradley Center on April 26, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - APRIL 26: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics attempts a shot while being guarded by Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 and Khris Middleton #22 of the Milwaukee Bucks in the third quarter during Game Six of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at the Bradley Center on April 26, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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The Boston Celtics need Jayson Tatum to be the bail out option when the offense is not functioning well enough

The Boston Celtics suffered a difficult game six loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, delivering their second abysmal game on offense in a row. Their defense has surged a bit with the return of Marcus Smart, but they now know how much more they are going to need to get a game seven victory.

The Celtics shot 37 percent overall and 27 percent from three, giving the Bucks a distinct shooting edge, despite being a much better shooting team for the duration of the season. The Bucks did a great job of keeping the Celtics out of the paint, and nobody was able to hit their shots. We saw Marcus Morris and Terry Rozier start forcing things too much, and no one was able to settle things down and get the offense on track.

The lone bright spot was easily Jayson Tatum, who finished with a team high 22 points on 6-14 shooting. He played well, but still only finished 2-6 from three point range, and the turnovers continue to add up when he is handling the ball.

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The Celtics have been here before. The offense has been brutally inconsistent all year long, and they’ve had to overcome poor shooting on many occasions this season. The problem in game six is that it was not just poor shooting. There was poor execution and poor decision making, and the Celtics really could not do anything well on offense.

In game six, you immediately saw how Rozier and Morris wanted to bailout the struggling offense. They certainly need to be a part of it, but their production drops way too much when they are forcing things. They are known to hit difficult shots, but they cannot disrupt the overall offense while doing that, and it hurt them too much in game six.

That being said, the Celtics know they need players that can bail out their offense. The Celtics know they cannot take shot making for granted, and need players that can manufacture points when the ball movement is not leading to enough production. Right now, the time is for Tatum to take over more of that role, because he is easily the most talented shot maker on this team.

Tatum has not played with the kind of mentality Rozier and Morris had in game six. Tatum does not shoot out of his slumps and let’s the game come to him. He has those moments where he tries to create off the dribble, and that needs to be the top option when looking for a bail out option. We have seen it in flashes, but there is still more he can do, and you know he is going to be hitting his shots at a rate better than any other option.

The Celtics love that Tatum never forces things, and he needs to figure out what is going on with the turnovers when he is driving. That being said, he can create space with ease with his step back, and no one on this roster is more reliable with that bit of space. On top of that, his 8-9 from the charity stripe are a great sign from game six, because he is an incredible finisher through traffic and needs to find the easier points.

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Tatum may not be ready for this role, but he undoubtedly has the talent to be a number one option. The Celtics cannot trust the shooting off Rozier and Morris enough, Al Horford needs to focus more on his distribution, and Jaylen Brown still has some consistency issues. If Tatum can start to manufacture points more often, then he will be the key to overcoming poor offensive nights like game six.

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