Put Respect On Jayson Tatum's Name

We’ve heard it all about Jayson Tatum over the years, especially the last few, from certain media and fans. He’s not “tough” enough. He’s not a leader. He doesn’t show up in big moments. He can’t close, when you need him to close. And, most damning, he’s overrated. 

As Tatum prepares for his third straight Eastern Conference Finals, and the Celtics ready for their sixth over the last eight years, this is the perfect time for us to enlighten those aforementioned souls on how good Tatum actually is compared to others. We will do that enlightening via fact, not opinion. 

Let’s start here: While some fans and media fawn over offensive starlets like Luka Doncic, they tend to conveniently leave out the defensive side of the game. Certain players are tasked to stand up defensively, almost as much as they are offensively. One of those players is Tatum. Yes, Tatum takes possessions off every once and a while (Breaking news: Every superstar does), but for the vast majority of playoff games Tatum is engaged and plays hard defensively.

Not only is Tatum engaged and playing hard on that end of the floor, his unique ability allows him to defend one through five given certain matchups. We just saw this against Cleveland, when the 26-year-old went from defending Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell to Evan Mobley without blinking. 

Of course, there are guys in the league that can do that. Not many, but they exist. However, how many of those guys who have the ability and desire to do so, also are as special as Tatum is on the other end? Tatum is a three-level scorer, who had his best pull-up shooting numbers since who knows when post All-Star break this season. 

How many of those guys who have Tatum’s defensive and offensive versatility, also can consistently create not only for themselves, but for their teammates? Tatum’s playmaking ability has improved every year since he was drafted out of Duke. He’s reached the height of that skill through the first two rounds of this year’s postseason, while averaging 5.8 assists per game. If you’re wondering, that would easily surpass his career-high mark, which he set this past season at 4.9 APG. Oh, and he’s improved that number in each of his first seven regular seasons.

Why stop there? To those who think Tatum isn’t tough enough, and you don’t want to include defense as part of your toughness equation, how about rebounding? Would you say rebounding is a “toughness indicator?” If so, you’re not going to like this news: Tatum’s career high in rebounding is 8.8 RPG in the 2022-2023 season. Through the first two rounds of this postseason, that number has jumped to 10.4, more than two rebounds per game better than this year’s season average. 

How about durability? Does that count in someone’s “toughness quotient?” If so, during the load management era, Tatum’s most missed games in a season were 18. While the NBA had to create award eligibility rules to force guys to play more games, Tatum played 74 of 82 this year. The majority of those missed games were at the end of a historic year in which the Celtics were consistently blowing teams out. And, getting Tatum to sit was usually like pulling teeth. The guy loves playing and wants to play through anything and everything he can. 

Some point to Tatum’s laid-back demeanor as a sign of weakness. Sometimes they believe he needs to be more demonstrative or emotional on the floor to show he cares. Those same people must have missed Tatum slowly but surely doing that over the last couple of years. During Game 4 in Cleveland, Tatum almost chopped the chest off Jaylen Brown. Throughout Game 5, he was visibly showing emotion. Does he have to rip his shirt off, ala Hulk Hogan, to make some of you content?

But, Tatum “can’t close.” How do you get to three straight Eastern Conference Finals and an NBA Finals in 2022 without being able to close? Do we just forget about Game 6 in Milwaukee in 2022? Or, against Philadelphia last year in Game 7, when Tatum dropped a 51-burger on Joel Embiid’s forehead? Does Game 5 on Wednesday night against the Cavs not count because it was Game 5? Or, because it was at the TD Garden? Or, because Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Caris LeVert didn’t play? Do we have these qualifiers for everyone else?!

Let us ask you, are these numbers in elimination games (whether it was the Celtics or the opposition being eliminated) indicative of someone who is incapable of stepping up? 

2018 Elimination Games (Rookie Season)

- 23 PPG 5.3 RPG 3.3 APG (49% FG & 29% 3pt) - Lost Game 7 of ECF vs Cavs

2019 Elimination Games (Kyrie Factor)

- 16 PPG 7 RPG 2 APG (35% FG & 33% 3pt) 

2020 Elimination Games (Covid Bubble)

- 27 PPG 11.3 RPG 7.3 APG (43% FG & 40% 3pt) - Lost Game 7 of ECF vs MIA

2021 Elimination Game (Eliminated in 1st Rd vs Brooklyn)

- 32 points 9 rebounds 5 assists (44% FG & 36% 3pt)

2022 Elimination Games 

- 22.7 PPG 5.5 RPG 6.5 APG (45.6% FG & 51% 3pt) - Lost Game 6 of Finals vs Warriors

2023 Elimination Games

- 31.6 PPG 12.6 RPG 5.3 APG (51% FG & 41.6% 3pt) - Lost Game 7 of ECF v MIA

**Worst elimination game of postseason was Game 7 of ECF (high ankle sprain)

2024 Elimination Games Through Round 2

- 20.5 PPG 11 RPG 6 APG (50% FG & 46% 3pt) 

**Elimination Game vs Miami was a blowout - Tatum plated 32 minutes

Jayson Tatum in Elimination Games (Career)

- 24.6 PPG 8.8 RPG 5 APG (45% FG & 39.5% 3pt)

Jayson Tatum in Elimination Games Without Kyrie Irving

- 26.1 PPG 9 RPG 5.5 APG (47% FG & 40.6% 3pt)

Tatum’s Career +/- in Elimination Games: +90 (+106 w/o Kyrie)

When you compare Tatum’s career regular season numbers and his numbers in elimination games, you might be surprised that his scoring, rebounding, assists, and three-point shooting percentage all improve. 

Meanwhile, his field goal percentage with Irving, is nearly a wash (46% in the regular season vs 45% in elimination games). If you subtract the Kyrie year from the equation, Tatum shoots slightly better from the field (1% increase). 

How does Tatum’s overall postseason numbers stack up versus two current greats? Good question. Let’s go by games played. Tatum has played in 104 career playoff games. Here's how he compares to two of the best players over the last 20 years:

Tatum's Postseason Numbers: 23.8 PPG 7.9 RPG 4.7 APG (44.2% FG & 35.2% 3pt)

Kevin Durant: 28.6 PPG 8.1 RPG 3.8 APG (46% FG & 34.2% 3pt)

LeBron James: 28.2 PPG 8.5 RPG 6.8 APG (46.5% FG 31.6% 3pt)

Beyond stats, let’s talk about winning through their first 104 career playoff games:

Jayson Tatum's Playoff Record: 60-44

Kevin Durant's Playoff Record: 63-41 (50-41 before a 13-0 run with Warriors)

LeBron James' Playoff Record: 65-39 (42-29 before Miami)

Interestingly enough, Durant didn't win his first championship until his 106th playoff game, while James accomplished that goal in his 115th.

None of this is to say that Tatum doesn’t have flaws or doesn't do things that can frustrate and even infuriate us at times. He can settle for one too many threes. He can lack attack from time to time. He might not scream for all forty-plus minutes he’s out on the floor. 

But, don’t get it twisted, here are the facts: Jayson Tatum has been better in the final game of a playoff series than he’s been throughout his NBA regular season career. His career playoff numbers, aside from points per game, aren’t far behind KD or LeBron. 

Furthermore, looking at shooting percentages, those points per game are more reflective of shot volume than scoring acumen. Don't forget, both LeBron and Durant were seen as their teams' number one scoring option from day one. The same can't be said for Tatum until year four, after battling Brown, Irving, and Kemba Walker for shots through his first three seasons.

Tatum is a handful of postseason wins behind James, through his first 104 career playoff games. He’s only three behind Durant. And, as noted, those numbers are misleading when you factor in Durant joining a Steph Curry led 72-win Warriors team and James teaming up with an already established top-5 player in the game and Finals MVP, Dwayne Wade. 

So, next time you hear someone criticizing Tatum, you might want to share this column with them. It's true that Tatum has yet to accomplish more than a former MVP and one of the greatest players of all time, but he's actually right on schedule.