Jayson Tatum has been firing on all cylinders as the Boston Celtics have rattled off five straight wins.
The four-time All-NBA First Team selection has been the driving force behind the Celtics’ new-look offense. However, despite his all-around solid play, it’s been Tatum’s ability to get to the free-throw line that has been most impressive, and of course, welcomed.
In his last three outings, Tatum has taken a total of 47 free throws, making 39 of them. For the season, he’s averaging a career-high 10.2 free-throw attempts per game. According to former Celtics fan favorite Isaiah Thomas, if Tatum keeps drawing fouls at his current rate, he could finish the season averaging 28-30 points per night.
“If he stays getting to the line like this he will avg 28-30 easy,” Thomas said in a comment on Instagram.
It’s long been said that Tatum needed to get to the line more frequently if he wanted to take the next step toward superstardom. With Boston’s varied new offense, he’s been pressuring defenses with multiple downhill drives per game, and getting to the line as a result.
Tatum Needs To Pressure The Rim All Season
When speaking with the media following Boston’s win over Orlando, Tatum was asked about his recent free-throw uptick.
“I don’t know, but I’ll take it,” he said. “I’ll definitely take it. More to come.”
Throughout the season, Tatum will draw significant defensive attention. The more he can get into the paint and threaten the rim, the more it’s going to open things up for his teammates on the perimeter. If teams choose to foul him on those drives, then he’s more than capable of making them pay from the charity stripe.
Of course, Tatum will need to balance getting to the line with protecting his body. That’s a fine line that he will need to navigate. Interestingly, when looking at Tatum’s current free-throw attempts, his season average could continue to trend upward before leveling out around the 12-per-night mark.
Celtics Face Tough Test vs. Rockets
Following its win over the Magic in Orlando, Boston boarded a flight and headed to Houston. They will face Ime Udoka’s team on Monday, November 2, in what is the second night of a back-to-back.
Mitchell Robinson will likely be back in the rotation, having sat out the game against Orlando due to rest. Still, the Celtics will have their work cut out for them against a genuine Western Conference powerhouse that has started the season 6-1.
Assuming Tatum is available to play, the Celtics will need him at his best, and that means getting downhill and drawing fouls wherever possible. Houston is one of the better defensive teams in the NBA, so carving out scoring opportunities won’t be easy.
Given the Celtics new offensive outlook, this matchup should be a good test for Mazzulla’s
Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Gets Eye-Popping Prediction From Isaiah Thomas