The Boston Celtics blew a lead to the Detroit Pistons in the first game of the season. It was a disappointing way to open up the season. What’s worse is that they wasted a 38-point effort from Paul George in his Celtics debut after being traded to Boston this summer.
Jayson Tatum had a poor game offensively. He finished 6-of-23 from the field in that game. Quite frankly, he was a chief reason why the team lost the game. Now, rival scouts are questioning whether or not Tatum is the same guy he was before his injury.
Rival Scouts Unsure if Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Will Be the Same Player
According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, rival scouts have serious questions about Tatum coming off that game. Some of them wonder if he will ever be the same guy he was before tearing his Achilles two seasons ago.
“I do wonder if he’s the same guy. Does he have the same burst and explosion? I’m not going to overreact to one game, but if the free throw numbers are down in December, that’s an indication that he’s not back to being himself coming off that Achilles. It’s a telltale sign when guys are shooting jumpers instead of getting to the rim like they used to,” a rival scout told MacMahon.
Tatum struggled to shoot the ball when he returned last season. Of course, he only played 16 regular-season games after he returned from his injury. In those 16 games, Tatum shot 41.1 percent from the field. The Celtics did not have him for Game 7 of their first-round series, either.
With the Celtics deciding to trade Jaylen Brown, Tatum has an enormous amount of pressure on him. If he can’t turn things around, Boston will have an issue. The Eastern Conference is loaded this year, so Boston is not guaranteed a playoff spot as they have been in the past.
Boston Needs Jayson Tatum to be an Offensive Force
Tatum not only needs to shoot the ball better, but the Celtics are counting on him to be an offensive force. Before he got injured, Tatum was considered one of the 10 best players in the NBA. He was expected to return to that form this season.
There has only been one game so far, so this could be an overreaction. Tatum has to figure out a way for him to get going early in games. If he stops driving to the basket, that is when the team might start to get concerned. However, the Celtics have plenty of games to play before they get concerned.
George looked great. Payton Pritchard moved to the bench, although it’s unclear how long that will last. Joe Mazzulla will continue to figure out the best way to get his team homecourt advantage for the playoffs. Tatum will certainly be the biggest factor.
Scouts Have Troubling Words for Celtics’ Jayson Tatum After Season Opener