Report cards are in for the Boston Celtics wings/forwards, and we're sticking with the rotation guys: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Sam Hauser. This group features one of the best duos in the NBA and one of the best three-point shooters in the association. The guards have already been graded.
Celtics Player Grades: Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum may be one of the most over-hated superstars in the NBA. He finished the regular season with spectacular marks of 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and a steal per game on 47% shooting overall, 37% from three, and 83% from the line in 74 games played.
Tatum made the All-NBA First Team for the third consecutive year and finished sixth overall in the MVP race. The franchise star eclipsed 10,000 career points and 1,000 made threes in the same season while also reducing his turnovers to 2.5 a game.
In 19 playoff games, Jayson Tatum averaged 25 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game on 43% shooting overall, 28% from three, and 86% from the line. He still kept consistent with his production, but his efficiency took a hit in the postseason.
The playoffs featured his first-ever playoff triple-double in the first round versus the Miami Heat, and he also had a big-time performance in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, scoring 10 of his 36 points in overtime to lead Boston to a win over the Indiana Pacers.
In the NBA Finals, Tatum averaged 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in five games. His most notable performance came when he dropped 31 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists in the closeout Game 5 to win his first NBA Championship. He received almost half of the votes for Finals MVP, but his lack of efficiency ultimately cost him the crown.
Final Grade: A