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Jayson Tatum has been playing at an MVP level for the majority of the season; however, the superstar forward has been struggling for the Boston Celtics since returning from the All-Star break.
According to former NBA champion and ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson, Tatum will need to improve his conditioning if he wants to sustain his MVP-level status around the league for the majority of his career.
“If you’re going to go to the NBA Finals, this is the halfway point, this is the halfway mark. So, to say he needs some rest, I don’t know how much rest he got over the All-Star break, but we do know that there was an extended seven, eight-day period where there was only one game because he didn’t play the game before,” Jefferson said, “This is part of the growing up process. If you’re going to do this, and you’re going to be an MVP candidate, you’re going to be counted on for 35-to-40 minutes a night for 82 games. He’s in that conversation, but he’s gotta get through this tough spot.”
Tatum struggled in his last game against the New York Knicks, where he scored just 14 points, before being ejected midway through the fourth quarter after receiving his second technical foul.
Al Horford Understands Tatum’s Current Slump
When speaking to the media following Boston’s February 27 loss against the Knicks, Al Horford explained why he’s not concerned by Tatum’s current struggles.
“It’s a long season. Jayson’s been playing, as we all know, at an MVP level for most of the season,” Horford said, “And, I mean if you can go all 82 playing like that, that’s just tough. There’s gonna be ups and downs, and he’s the last guy that I’m worried about. I know what he’s about. My biggest thing with him is making sure that he feels right and that he’s good to go in April once the playoffs start. So, I’m not worried about it. Through the season, you’re going to have an off-game here and there, and that’s just a part of it.”
Horford has been an ever-present for the Celtics this season, adjusting his game to be more perimeter-based and offering a veteran presence to lean on. Throughout his 48 games so far, Horford is averaging 9.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 47.2% from the field and 42% from deep.
Tatum Recently Received Some Wild Criticism
On February 24, long-time Celtics writer Dan Shaughnessy released an article that sent shockwaves throughout Celtics nation as he took aim at Tatum, levying some strong criticism toward the All-Star forward.
“He hasn’t won a championship and there are times when he seems too much the embodiment of today’s American-born, AAU-groomed, egomaniacal NBA superstar. He missed a game to go home to St. Louis for his son’s birthday party in December. Just before the All-Star break, he missed an important game in Milwaukee with a “non-COVID illness” (the Celtics subs lost in overtime), then came back to play the next night at home against the lowly Pistons,” Shaughnessy wrote.
Considering Tatum is currently playing with an injured wrist and has been Boston’s primary offensive weapon all season, it would appear Shaughnessy’s criticism is unwarranted; however, if Tatum continues to struggle, it’s likely that more Celtics fans start becoming disgruntled with their star player’s lack of consistency.
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