Boston Celtics: 1 potential Nets adjustment Jayson Tatum must overcome

Jayson Tatum was practically unguardable last night during the Boston Celtics’ 125-119 victory in front of the TD Garden’s first postseason crowd in over two years.

In dropping 50 points (yet again), he helped lead the Cs to an improbable comeback victory against the heavily favored Brooklyn Nets in a pivotal Eastern Conference quarterfinal Game 3.

Things seemed to be going according to plan in the first quarter for Brooklyn, with the Nets leading by as many as 11 in the first quarter. The script was promptly flipped by the 2020 All-NBA Third Teamer, and the supporting cast rose to the occasion with a spirited TD Garden crowd.

Tristan Thompson fed off the energy the most, going for a 19-point, 13-rebound double-double that sparked excitement from a former champion center with the Cs:

Marcus Smart and Evan Fournier added another 40 points to the cause, with Smart going for six assists well. Then there was Romeo Langford, who knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and grabbed six rebounds in a team-high +21 point differential while on the floor.

Ultimately, though, history will look back at last night’s contest and laud Tatum for being the best player on the floor.

…even on a night Kevin Durant and James Harden combined for 80 points.

Game 4 is must-watch television now, and there is legitimate hope from Boston Celtics fans that there could be a seismic upset brewing and a chance for revenge against the Milwaukee Bucks (or Miami Heat if they can somehow comeback) in the next round of the postseason.

Those brakes might need to be pumped, though. A simple key adjustment could bring the power back on the side of Brooklyn if Steve Nash can convince one of his stars to take the assignment.

Only one Net had any success in containing Tatum during his explosive Memorial Day weekend fireworks-like scoring burst (via Dan Greenberg):

That’s right, a man who has been made a meme in the past for his defense was the only effective stopper against the almost-unstoppable Tatum. James Harden, the 3x NBA scoring champion, might need to step up on the less glamorous side of the ball to give his team the best chance of winning.

Can first-year head coach Steve Nash get one of his megastars to make such a sacrifice? Harden’s 11 assists per game drive the offense, as do his step-back 3-pointers and constant drives to the rim.

Defending Tatum for a longer stretches may require more energy than Harden is willing to burn, especially in an intense postseason environment.

It will be interesting to see if Nash gameplans around stopping Tatum at the expense of Harden’s high-usage isolation-heavy attack on the other end, but such an adjustment could force JT to elevate his game even higher offensively.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not betting against #0 on the Boston Celtics rising to the occasion.