Much has obviously been made of Jayson Tatum’s season debut, with most of it focused on how he looked physically and athletically. The early returns were great, and once he shook off a little shooting rust, JT put together an extremely encouraging performance, which ended with 15 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and a 20-point Celtics win over the Mavericks.
Concerns about his fit and how he would mesh with Jaylen Brown were always nonsensical and often brought up in bad faith, but there’s plenty of intrigue around how he’ll be used and what it will mean for the Celtics as a team.
One major area of interest is something that Zach Lowe brought up on his most recent podcast, and those are actually the minutes Tatum plays without Jaylen Brown. JB has been forced to carry such a heavy burden this season and is constantly tasked with going against other teams’ best lineups for the most important moments.
Now, the Celtics have another legitimate number one option joining the fold, and it means that Boston can have a superstar wing lead initiator on the floor for 48 minutes a game. It’s something they’ve been lacking, and on nights when one of Payton Pritchard or Derrick White can’t get hot, the offense can look pretty lackluster.
Tatum can dominate when Brown is off the floor
Tatum being back in the fold changes everything. The bench has been good so far this season, but they can go to another level with a true alpha out there. However, Joe Mazzulla chooses to stagger his two stars; he has a lot more options with his lineup versatility going forward.
Lowe explained that he thinks when the starters are out there, Tatum won’t be his full alpha self, playing more as a spot-up shooter, attacking closeouts, and setting screens. We already saw some of it on Friday night with Brown and Tatum spreading the floor and playing off of each other a lot, with Tatum initiating fewer possessions.
But when Brown is off the floor, Tatum will really have a chance to cook and take over with nothing but shooters and dogs all around him. This Celtics season has already been extremely fun, but there has definitely been an element of doubt when it comes to this holding up in the playoffs.
Tatum being able to steady the ship and stabilize things for large portions of games, especially when Brown is resting, changes that equation. For now, whether they admit it or not, it certainly seems like there is some kind of minutes restriction on Tatum, but once he gets stretched out and is playing 30+ minutes a game, it’s going to be fascinating to watch just how Mazzulla chooses to deploy his troops.
It’s a fascination that should excite Celtics fans and terrify the rest of the league.