Boston Celtics: 3 ways Cs can help Jayson Tatum become MVP candidate
By Chris Conte
Boston Celtics should set more precise screens
One of Daniel Theis’ biggest strengths was his screen setting, specifically his “seals” under the rim to get Boston open layups.
Brad Stevens utilized Theis’ undersized frame to slip him under opposing rim protectors so they would be helpless as any one of Boston’s scorers drove to the rim.
After losing Theis at the trade deadline, Stevens could not deploy this tactic nearly as often with Tristan Thompson and Robert Williams. Although Udoka will still struggle to introduce this tactic with his top two centers, he can implement it into Grant Williams’ repertoire if Stevens chooses to keep him.
In the last two seasons, Jayson Tatum and Grant Williams played 1164 minutes together. In that time, they sustained an elite 8.83 net rating with a 117 offensive rating.
Williams has always seemed to blossom next to Tatum, and he can return the favor next season as a sealer on Tatum’s drives to the rim.
Additionally, Udoka needs to sit down and have a conversation with Boston’s big man core regarding where he wants Tatum’s screens set.
Setting Tatum’s screens higher is not a new idea, yet Boston is still very inconsistent about setting screens for him. Ideally, every single screen on the perimeter for Tatum is set three or four feet behind the arc.
There are multiple advantages of setting a higher screen for Jayson Tatum.
The first being he has more room to punish drop coverage with his elite 3-point shooting.
The second being he has more time to force a switch and, therefore, a mismatch between him and the big man.
The third being he has more room to get downhill and use his long strides to blow by the defending big man.
Tatum’s burst is very average, but his stride, length, and wingspan are so significant that it makes up the difference. The Boston Celtics can leverage these physical tools on top of his world-class long-range shooting by simply setting their screens a few feet higher.