3 Boston Celtics players that must step up with Jayson Tatum out

The already decimated roster of the Boston Celtics has managed to get even more ravaged as it was recently announced that the team will be without All-Star cornerstone, Jayson Tatum, for Monday’s outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves as he enters the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols.

With this, due to the guidelines, Tatum will now be forced to miss a minimum of 10 days of basketball activity as he isolates which, in turn, will likely have him out of the rotation for the next seven games.

As a result, those players that remain available will have to take on more of a role within the C’s scheme in the wake of this latest news, and we at HH believe 3 players, in particular, will need to step up to give Boston a fighting chance moving through this upcoming string of games:

Boston Celtics player No. 1) Joe Johnson

The Boston Celtics opted to sign veteran Joe Johnson last week amidst the COVID-19 outbreak that managed to take its toll on the squad.

Quite frankly, upon the news of the pickup, we at HH were rather enthusiastic about the decision by Brad Stevens and co., for, at the end of the day, it brought the team a much-needed experienced presence at the wing to help back up the likes of Tatum and Brown as well as a seasoned leader that could potentially help the Cs stay level-headed during this already challenging campaign.

Now, with guys like Aaron Nesmith, Josh Richardson, and one half of the Jays sidelined it’s without question that Ime Udoka will look to utilize their veteran pick-up during these trying times and, quite frankly, they could certainly use for the efficient scoring expertise that managed to make him a seven-time All-Star throughout his 18-year NBA career.

A career 16 point-per-game scorer, during his recent stint in the Big-3 league Johnson saw himself posting 22.8 points a night on 44 percent shooting from the floor with the Triplets and, while he only scored two points thus far in his return to Eastern Massachusetts, on his lone attempt he showed off that vintage iso-Joe ball-handling skills and shooting stroke that made him one of the most dangerous scorers in the game during his prime.

While no one should expect him to tap back into his 25-year-old self, perhaps he can still manage to put forth the level of production that he did during his second to last season in the league whilst with the Utah Jazz when he became a top-flight reserve player, putting up 9.2 points on an efficient 41 percent shooting from deep.

Should he be able to do this, while he’s most certainly no Jayson Tatum, it could absolutely prove to be a major bonus for the team during his absence.

Boston Celtics player No. 2) Payton Pritchard

With Jayson Tatum out of the rotation for the time being, all hands are required to be on deck in order to simply replace even just a fraction of what he provides on the hardwood, which means young players who may be underperforming on the year must look to up their play, and Payton Pritchard is a guy who the Boston Celtics could benefit from having him tap back into his rookie-season form.

Throughout the majority of the year, it has appeared as though the point guard has been suffering from somewhat of a sophomore slump, as he’s putting up just 4.1 points, 1.7 assists, and 1.4 rebounds per game.

However, these last four outings we’ve seen Pritchard tap back into his first-year ways of play, as he’s been posting 13.3 points, four boards, and 2.8 assists on 52.5 percent shooting from the floor and 48 percent shooting from deep during this stretch.

With the likes of Dennis Schroder out in Health and Safety Protocols, the 23-year-old has gotten the opportunity to get more playing time where, in turn, he has made the most of it.

Now with Tatum also out, they need Pritchard to look to play at an even higher level.

Boston Celtics player No. 3) Jaylen Brown

Despite the fact that the Boston Celtics will be without Jayson Tatum for the next several outings, they should by no means be viewed as a lost cause through this upcoming stretch, for they still have their second half of the Jay squad in Jaylen Brown ready to rumble.

Is he surrounded by a depleted roster? Yes, however, stars typically tend to find a way to get the most out of their teammates, and Brown is unequivocally one of the best young stars in this league.

Currently on the year, the 25-year-old is finding himself once again producing at a top-notch level and, in fact, has been even more efficient than his fellow star teammate in Tatum.

Through 19 games, the wing has been putting up averages of 22.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and half a block on 46 percent shooting from the floor and 38 percent shooting from deep.

With Tatum out, there should be no doubt that head coach Ime Udoka will be asking Brown to serve as the unquestioned leader on both ends of the floor. As a result, the game plan will undoubtedly be going through the young stud and, in turn, each game’s overall outcome will be heavily influenced by his play.