Jayson Tatum bounces again in Celtics’ win over Knicks: 8 takeaways
Boston Celtics
Within the fourth quarter, Mitchell Robinson — who had an in any other case comparatively quiet recreation — made two of the loudest performs you’ll see.
After a disappointing season opener towards the Pistons, Jayson Tatum bounced again in an enormous manner because the Celtics improved to 1-1 with a win over the Knicks.
Listed here are the takeaways.
Jayson Tatum performed the function the Celtics want.
If the Celtics are going to succeed — this season, subsequent season, for the following a number of years — will probably be on the shoulders of Jayson Tatum.
That’s to not say Tatum has to attain 36 factors on 14-for-26 taking pictures each evening (though it definitely wouldn’t harm to see it as usually as attainable), neither is it to say that Tatum can by no means have an off evening when going through a defender like Ausar Thompson.
However Tatum has been entrusted with monumental duty by the Celtics’ franchise, and on Friday, he lived as much as the billing.
The stakes had been as excessive as they may very well be for the second recreation of the common season. The Celtics misplaced their opener in embarrassing style, blowing a 20-point lead towards the Pistons whereas Tatum shot simply 6-for-23 from the ground.
In the meantime, the defending champion Knicks additionally misplaced their opener towards the 76ers, which meant Friday’s showdown was between two Jap Convention contenders, each of whom very a lot wished to keep away from the ignominy of beginning their season 0-2.
Down the stretch, it was Tatum whose twisting layup put the Celtics up 5, and it was Tatum who whipped a move to Paul George within the nook, whose 3-pointer put the Celtics up six. When the Knicks surged and drew inside one once more, it was Tatum who hit a troublesome turnaround jumper over Josh Hart on one aspect of the ground, after which did it once more on the opposite aspect of the ground.
Then with 30 seconds left, it was Tatum who caught a 3-point dagger within the Knicks. New York hung round for the ultimate 30 seconds however in the end succumbed.
Tatum answered quite a few questions with aplomb on Friday. His largest pictures had been troublesome makes over robust contests by Josh Hart, which may very well be trigger for some concern, however he additionally discovered methods to pirouette to the basket for layups and dunks on a number of events. He defended nicely (three steals). He flirted with a triple double (9 rebounds and 7 assists). He regarded like himself bodily.
Friday’s recreation doesn’t erase Tuesday’s struggles, and in the identical manner that Tuesday’s recreation was too early to panic, Friday’s contest is simply too early to have a good time.
Nonetheless, Celtics followers had motive to breathe simpler and sleep higher after seeing how Tatum responded to his first dangerous recreation of the 12 months.
Tatum addressed the Jaylen Brown drama.
Throughout a latest interview, Tatum mentioned he was blindsided by the Jaylen Brown commerce and was shocked the Celtics would commerce him to an Atlantic Division rival.
Beneath the video, Brown commented the blue “cap” emoji, expressing his skepticism in essentially the most direct manner that we’ve seen publicly to date.
You may learn Tatum’s feedback in full right here, however to attract out an necessary half, Tatum mentioned: “There’s no animosity. There’s no beef. I simply hate the way in which that — the dialog or the narrative round it, when there’s not sufficient communication, and I feel a dialog would clear up, or put out lots of fires. And once more, individuals course of and deal with issues at their very own time, and every time that occurs, it’ll occur.”
As he spoke, Tatum sounded extra emotional than common when speaking with the media — a welcome shift from a participant who can at occasions sound like a spoken phrase press launch. Tatum known as consideration to the myriad successes he and Brown completed collectively. He additionally famous the media’s function within the drama — and to his credit score, he acknowledged each the leisure side of the league and that the media had little selection however to ask him about his relationship with Brown — however he did his greatest to clear the air whereas including that he wish to converse to Brown, every time Brown is able to speak.
“I reached out to him the day he acquired traded,” Tatum mentioned. “Like, I known as him, I texted him.”
Tatum was diplomatic and open a couple of uncooked, and doubtlessly awkward, scenario. He laid the scenario out as baldly as he may with out fanning the flames.
He was, in brief, a frontrunner off the ground on Friday along with being a frontrunner on the ground. The previous is much less necessary than the latter which — in a manner — was partly what he was making an attempt to say.
Paul George slots in nicely in his regular function
George’s monstrous debut was good, however he additionally regarded very comfy in what’s going to possible show to be his function much more usually this season as a secondary choice to Tatum.
George completed with 15 factors, made three 3-pointers and pulled down seven rebounds. He’s a dependable choice with the ball in his arms, and he can do extra off the bounce than one would anticipate from a 37-year-old within the NBA.
Perhaps the most important eye-opener has been George’s protection — he grabbed a pair of steals on Friday, and he persistently seems to be huge and overwhelming towards wonderful offensive gamers.
On a crew that’s self-evidently constructed round Tatum, George seems to be like an awesome match.
Neemias Queta hit a real-life 3-pointer
Queta additionally had a bounce-back efficiency after the Celtics’ bigs had been a serious letdown towards the Pistons.
His largest second, after all, was a rhythm 3-pointer from the nook, created by a winding pick-and-roll for Jayson Tatum.
Nonetheless, Queta did fairly a bit extra — he tossed in a few floaters, he snagged 4 offensive rebounds, and he swatted away three huge blocked pictures. At one level halfway by the third quarter, he whipped a move between a number of defenders, going high-low with George for an enormous slam.
Queta completed with 15 factors and 6 rebounds to go together with his three blocks. The occasional 3-pointer is sweet, definitely, however what the Celtics actually need from him is rim safety, an enormous presence within the paint and offensive rebounds. He offered all of that on Friday (and a 3-pointer).
Mitchell Robinson performs enormous typically
Within the fourth quarter, Mitchell Robinson — who had an in any other case comparatively quiet recreation — made two of the loudest performs you’ll see.
The primary was a large block towards Karl-Anthony Cities, after which Robinson turned to stare and bark on the crowd.
The second was an absurd alley-oop dunk from Derrick White, which Robinson mashed dwelling with enthusiasm.
The convenience and flourish with which Robinson caught and powered down the one-handed slam isn’t one thing each NBA participant — and even each NBA huge — can do. After the sport, Robinson greeted his former teammates with smiles and hugs, however he regarded fairly happy to remind them how excessive he can get.
Jordan Walsh makes some sense as a starter
Walsh acquired one other begin and performed 20 minutes after a 13-minute stint towards the Pistons, and he’s beginning to make sense on the ground with a few of these lineups.
Walsh isn’t going to demand the ball, however he’ll make runs to provide the alternative to throw him the ball.
He gained’t attempt to do an excessive amount of offensively — at the least, not usually — however he isn’t afraid to take a 3-pointer or drive an in depth out.
Most significantly, he’s a fully dogged defender who appears to relish when he can pace the opposing crew up. That aligns properly with how the Celtics seem to wish to play this 12 months — a bit of sooner, a bit of extra chaotic, and really athletic.
Notably, Baylor Scheierman performed simply 11 minutes, whereas Hugo Gonzáles performed simply over three. A minimum of for now, Walsh appears to be Joe Mazzulla’s choose amongst candidates from that group.
Luka Garza performed a really brief, very stable stint
Garza performed simply 3:30, however he went 3-for-3 from the ground, 2-for-2 from deep and made a put-back layup throughout a stint within the first quarter. He by no means returned, however he helped the Celtics hold tempo through the first 12 minutes and regarded considerably higher than he did in Tuesday’s robust matchup towards the Pistons.
What’s subsequent
The Celtics keep at dwelling for his or her subsequent two video games — a back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday towards the Bulls and Nets respectively earlier than the NBA’s group stage begins subsequent Friday.
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