Nikola Jokic is one of the greatest offensive players of all-time. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is poised to win his first MVP this season (if Jokic doesn’t usurp him in the running). Jayson Tatum stands alongside them among the league’s best players, but the Boston Celtics star doesn’t often get credited with the same playmaking chops.
On the one hand, Jokic is one of the world’s best passers, and Gilgeous-Alexander is the central hub of his team’s offense. And while Tatum certainly occupies that role, he’s usually seen as a score-first guy who can playmake when needed. But as his career has progressed, his passing has become a focal point of his game, rather than a subplot.
This year, he has the numbers to back it up.
Jayson Tatum, Luke Kornet pick-and-roll has been unstoppable
Tatum lays claim to the second-best pick-and-roll duo in the NBA this season (min. 400 possessions), and his partner in crime comes from an unlikely source—Luke Kornet.
Owen Phillips of The F5 Substack put the stats on Twitter, and Tatum’s company is the best of the best. The top duo is Jokic and Jamal Murray. Fourth place belongs to Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. Gilgeous-Alexander and Isaiah Hartenstein rank fifth.
Luke Kornet has been one of the most impactful bench players this season. Cs are steam rolling opponents when he's on the court (+11.6 Netrtg.)
— Owen Phillips (@owenlhjphillips) March 21, 2025
He's got an undeniable chemistry with Tatum, which shows in their pick & roll numbers -- #2 most potent combo behind Murray/Jokic pic.twitter.com/yRgIQCiQvj
But seeing Tatum next to Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t quite as shocking as seeing Kornet’s name amongst the likes of Jokic, Hartenstein, Victor Wembanyama, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
What makes the pick-and-roll with Tatum and Kornet work so well is a combination of their individual skills, all blending together to create an elite action.
The biggest contributing factor that Tatum adds is his pure gravity. Teams flock to him when he has the ball in his hands, bending defenses and creating a ton of space on the floor. That’s where Kornet’s talents come into play.
In addition to his impressive screening abilities, Kornet’s work out of the short roll has been incredible this year. He’s become incredible at timing his rolls to the rim and making perfect passes to open shooters behind the three-point line.
Tatum’s gravity combined with Kornet’s feel for screens has combined for an unstoppable force, giving the Celtics a go-to action when they’re on the court.
No matter the defense’s reaction—pressing up to stop Tatum, dropping back, or following his drive to the rim—Kornet has been able to set up the superstar for success.
He’s no Jokic, but the perfectly crafted combination of Kornet’s skill set with Tatum’s offensive dominance has formed one of the best offensive options in the NBA.
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