Celtics' Jayson Tatum Criticism Has Been Taken to a New Level

The criticism of the Celtics' best player has reached a fever pitch.

May 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) dribbles up court in front of New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) in the second half during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The best player on the Boston Celtics for the last five years has been Jayson Tatum. He has established himself as one of the best players not just on the team, but in the NBA.

Tatum has grown his game to the point that he is no longer just a scorer. He is someone that the team can rely upon defensively as well, something that was questioned when he was drafted out of Duke.

Boston has relied on Tatum to get them to have championship aspirations over the last couple of seasons. Despite him helping them to a title last season, the criticism has reached new heights.

Read more: Celtics' Jayson Tatum Leaves Game 4 After Suffering Apparent Serious Injury

FS1 analyst Colin Cowherd chimed in with some criticism of his own. Before Game 4 on Monday night, he says that Tatum should be called "The Beneficiary" since he plays on a loaded team.

Colin Cowherd says Jayson Tatum should be called “The Beneficiary” since he plays on a loaded team and can have off nights, unlike stars like Steph, SGA, and Jokic who always need to deliver

(h/t @awfulannouncing )

pic.twitter.com/AicZX8OsTK

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 12, 2025

"I'm watching Tatum play for the Celtics, and it's like he's another banker at Deutsche. They've got like eight guys that can shoot threes."

To say that Tatum doesn't add any value to a team that can possibly win a championship is insulting to all that Tatum has accomplished. He was fantastic in Game 4, too.

Before suffering what looks like a serious injury, Tatum scored 42 points in a losing effort against the Knicks. He was the best player on the court for Boston.

Tatum does fall in love with the three-point shot too often, sometimes, but that is his biggest flaw. That's also a product of the offensive system that Joe Mazzula wants the team to run.

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Boston is now down to the Knicks 3-1, and they look like they are done. Without Tatum, it looks like a lost cause for them to come back in the series.

Perhaps that is the greatest compliment of all. Without him, the Celtics are not a good enough team to beat the Knicks while they are in such a big hole.

Celtics fans are hopeful that the injury isn't as bad as it looks. Having a devastating injury that keeps him out for next year would be horrendous.

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