Along with some excellent defense.

Tatum looks like he’s more than ready for the moment. If he can maintain this level of two-way facilitation and spatial awareness while letting Jaylen be in the driver’s seat when necessary, it looks like Boston may be a truly serious contender.

lovo17 | Lakers

93 | 4 hours ago

Easiest player to build around in the NBA right now. You can fit him into any role and he’ll excel in that.

Mg29reaper | Celtics

21 | 4 hours ago

Yah he could play legit 1 through 5.

goodguybrian | Thunder

18 | 4 hours ago

5?? I need to watch more Celtics games because if true, that is nuts.

Kyler1313

26 | 4 hours ago

He’s not a post-defender that could guard the likes of Jokic or Embiid. But he’s an incredible situation 5. Any big that is mostly a lob threat or a perimeter guy can be defended well by Tatum. Like he has famously defended Lively/Gafford so well it stalled out the Mavs offense in the finals. He’s also a pretty good matchup against KAT.

Basically if it’s a back to the basket strength first center, it isn’t his type of matchup. But any other center he can guard and then the Celtics can go ultra switchable.

markevbs | Celtics

24 | 4 hours ago

Yeah it’s not accurate. Still too light, but he’s great on the boards.

Mg29reaper | Celtics

21 | 4 hours ago

Hes the best rebounding forward in the league. His defense on bigs allows us to go small and locked up the mavs bigs in 24. He can play dunker spot and the post.

LaMelgoatBall | BOS

3 | 3 hours ago

I almost forgot that he played a lot of center against the Mavs

alexm42 | Celtics

2 | 2 hours ago

In the 4 games we won the Mavs converted exactly one lob after that play had ESPN screaming that Gobert was a fraud DPOY. Jayson Tatum completely neutralized that threat.

LaMelgoatBall | BOS

10 | 4 hours ago

He’s an insane rebounder and super good defender. It just depends on the matchup

floatinround22 | Hawks

8 | 3 hours ago

He basically played the 5 against Gafford and Lively in the Finals. He completely eliminated the pick and roll alley oop action that Dallas decimated Minnesota with in the ECF

Obviously he can’t be a full time 5 against guys like Jokic and Embiid, but situationally he can provide value in that role

deets23_ | Celtics

6 | 4 hours ago

Not all the time but yeah. Did you watch the 24 finals?

wormhole222 | Heat

7 | 3 hours ago

It’s funny because the Celtics build such well rounded teams already that it is kinda wasted.

Available-Anything69

-5 | 4 hours ago

This is meaningless. Wemby would be better even playing out of position and so would Jokic/SGA probably.

fredinNH | Celtics

75 | 4 hours ago

He also played the entire first quarter for I think the first time this season.

He’s all the way back

lawschoolthrowaway36 | Lakers

13 | 4 hours ago

I’m more interested in how he holds up physically in a longer series against a physical team. This is a joke of a matchup without Embiid playing

fredinNH | Celtics

19 | 4 hours ago

The Celtics own Embiid. I don’t think his presence would make much of a difference and don’t think it’s a joke without him.

imezaps

2 | 4 hours ago

The sixers are definitely a joke, embiid or not

alexm42 | Celtics

1 | 2 hours ago

Philly hasn’t beaten us since the 80’s. Embiid doesn’t change that.

The series being way more chill without him though, I’ll still take it. JT’s still working on getting his cardio back; he was second to Steph there before the injury.

fuzzythinker | Nuggets

21 | 4 hours ago

He’s back. I’ll be surprised if Celtics aren’t the one coming out in the East

MLB_2953 | Celtics

14 | 4 hours ago

Knicks will be a worthy challenge. I think the winner of that potential series will be going to the Finals.

Ok-Internet2265 | Knicks

-8 | 4 hours ago

Knicks v nuggets finals

sanjit8103 | Nuggets

17 | 4 hours ago

Dude tore his Achilles 11 months ago and now he’s playing at an all-star level again. It does not make sense.

HS941317

13 | 4 hours ago

Top 5 player

SpiritFantastic4835 | Lakers

12 | 4 hours ago

Literally looks the same this is crazy to witness

BAHatesToFly | Knicks

11 | 4 hours ago

This has sweep written all over it

back2ya | Knicks

6 | 4 hours ago

he’s annoyingly good

Letsgetthisdough | Thunder

5 | 4 hours ago

Unreal how he hasn’t lost a step, such a good all around player

morecador3000

3 | 4 hours ago

JT was right in coming back this season. If he plays like this, they can contend.

Jayson Tatum in the First Quarter Against Philadelphia: 10 Points, 7 Rebounds, 4 Assists.