Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
[Film Room] Keys to Celtics Getting Jayson Tatum Going in Game 5 of NBA Finals
At the start of Game 4 of the NBA Finals, it looked like Friday's tilt would feature Jayson Tatum and Stephen Curry going blow-for-blow. Tatum scored seven points less than three minutes into the matchup and made his first two threes of the night. He and Curry finished the opening frame with 12 points.
But as the game progressed, Tatum's impact diminished. In the second half, he shot 2/9, including 1/5 in the fourth quarter. And after knocking down three of his four long-range attempts in the first two frames, Tatum went 1/4 from beyond the arc after halftime.
While Curry led the Warriors to victory with a 43-point masterpiece, Tatum finished with 23 points on 23 shots. He went 4/8 from beyond the arc but 4/15 from inside it, including 3/9 from within the paint. He also led all participants with six turnovers.
After Boston's 107-97 loss in Game 4, Tatum conveyed, "when I do have space, and I'm open, I've got to take the shot. Anytime that I hold it too long, they load up. So I think, quick decisions, don't turn down any open looks, any daylight that I have. And continue to try to make the right pass. I had too many turnovers tonight."
In the play below, Tatum's defended by Nemanja Bjelica, who guarded him well on Friday, showing perhaps that's not the mismatch the Celtics think it is. But Tatum does himself no favors by standing upright nearly the entire time he has the ball, never looking to attack to create a favorable scoring chance for he or a teammate, and then throws a careless pass.
Here, Boston again hunts Bjelica, but when Tatum gets the ball from Marcus Smart, rather than shooting the gap, he takes a wide route, allowing Bjelica to flip his hips and square up. Tatum beats him off the dribble, but he ends up in a crowd, getting too deep, and he's unable to get the ball over Draymond Green to connect with Payton Pritchard in the left corner. The giveaway leads to a Jordan Poole three at the other end.
Those turnovers reflect the need for Tatum to play more aggressively in Game 5 and the remainder of the Finals. It also significantly impacts his ability to finish at the rim.
In the next play, Andrew Wiggins anticipates Tatum coming off Smart's screen. Wisely, the Celtics' star swipes past Wiggins, rejecting the pick and breaking to the basket. But when he gets there, rather than using a jump stop to stay in control, allowing him to go up strong, Tatum let's his momentum continue pulling him away from the rim, resulting in a difficult shot over Klay Thompson.
At his post-game availability, discussing Tatum's struggles at the rim, Ime Udoka cited the All-NBA First-Team member, "at times, looking for fouls. They are a team that loads up, and certain games he's finding the outlets, certain (games) shooting over two (or) three guys. That's the balance of being aggressive and picking your spots and doing what he's done in previous games, which is kicked it out and got guys wide-open looks. That's the ongoing theme, him getting to the basket and being a scorer as well as a playmaker."
As much as Tatum's struggles relate to the pace and force he plays with, the Warriors deserve credit for how hard they made him work offensively, staying in sync as he hunted mismatches to exploit.
But even on a night he lost his rhythm offensively, Game 4 reiterated how Tatum needs to operate against Golden State's defense. In the play below, the three-time all-star comes off a Robert Williams screen, Kevon Looney's in drop coverage, and Tatum wastes no movement, stepping into a three that swishes through the net.
He was also more assertive in the first half. After Tatum pulls the ball out on this next play, he continues coming downhill before spinning by Looney, whose hips are closed towards the baseline. Tatum flattens his path to the rim, negating Wiggins from impeding his drive, Green retreats to Williams, and Tatum goes strong to the basket for a layup.
Friday, Tatum struggled from mid-range, but he's developed so many moves to get shots from there, and he can create a clean look over any defender.
Here, Tatum's active without the ball, he doesn't stray further from the basket as he swings his right leg open as he faces up, and even though Wiggins does well to contest this shot, the bit of separation between them is enough for Tatum to launch a clean look that's in-rhythm and splashes through the net.
During his presser after Friday's loss, Ime Udoka delivered the following message to his star player: "Don't be opposed to taking twos. Some pull-up jumpers and some of those things instead of going all the way to the rim. It doesn't have to be either or."
Attacking off the catch also made it easier for Tatum to put points on the board. Here, it looks like he's coming to set a pindown for Payton Pritchard, but instead, the latter screens for the former. Wiggins fights to get back to Tatum so Poole doesn't have to switch onto him, but Tatum calmly gets him to bite on a pump fake, then side-steps into a three.
When asked after Game 4 whether he's putting too much pressure on himself, here was Tatum's response.
"I've got to be better. I know I can be better, so it's not like I, myself, and my team are asking me to do something I'm not capable of (doing). They know the level, and I know the level that I can play at, and it's on me to do that more often than not. To help my team in the best way that I can. It's not too much pressure at all. It's my job."
Between playing with pace, force, and no wasted movement, whether attacking the basket or coming off a high-ball screen, Tatum can generate quality, in-rhythm scoring opportunities, executing the most challenging and crucial aspect of his job.
Timely mid-range jumpers resembling the shot he swished over Wiggins also help stay in rhythm. The same goes for transition points and trips to the free-throw line. But regarding the latter, he can't put greater emphasis on drawing fouls than trying to finish at the rim.
It also helps to have teammates like Smart gassing him up even when he's not shooting well.
"We're constantly letting him know, 'keep going, this isn't your first time being in a slump, won't be the last time. You've got to fight and figure it out. We trust you, we believe in you, and this is what you're made for.'
"Jayson has to figure it out. We have to do a good job of helping him, but being the player he is, these are the moments where he has to come alive, and he has to figure it out, and he will. We don't know when that is, but we're sure it's going to happen soon, and we're ready for it, and we're here to back him up."
Further Reading
Celtics Address Reasons Behind Their Offense Stagnating in Game 4 Loss to Warriors
What Stood Out in Game 4 of NBA Finals: Warriors Show Championship Resolve in Series-Tying Win
Tony Parker Sizes Up the NBA Finals, Talks Ime Udoka and His Collaboration with MTN Dew LEGEND
The Anatomy of the Celtics' Fourth-Quarter Comeback in Game 1 of NBA Finals
