Boston Celtics
“He can’t have the mindset like, I’ve acquired to go in and rating extra factors as a result of we’re shedding factors in Tatum.”
For the primary time since his rookie season in 2017, Jaylen Brown will face the prospect of enjoying with out Jayson Tatum for an prolonged time frame.
Tatum got here in and began 80 video games as a 19-year-old rookie 2018 and hasn’t missed greater than 18 video games in a season throughout his eight 12 months profession.
That may possible change this 12 months as Tatum recovers from a ruptured Achilles tendon harm that he suffered through the Japanese Convention semifinals towards the Knicks. Plus, the Celtics made a number of offseason strikes, together with buying and selling Jrue Vacation and Kristaps Porzingis, that reshaped the roster.
Brown would be the Celtics’ go-to scoring choice this season. Paul Pierce is aware of a factor or two about what that’s like. Pierce provided some evaluation and recommendation throughout a current interview with Heavy Sports’ Steve Bulpett on how Brown ought to method issues with out Tatum this season.
“For him, it’s about what he can do higher on the court docket,” Pierce mentioned. “That is the factor: whenever you begin getting extra of the rope, you’ve acquired to be extra accountable.
“So he’s going to get extra leeway — and never that he didn’t have all the leeway, however now he’s the primary focus. So with that comes extra duty. You already know, ‘How do I get my different teammates concerned extra? The place I gotta possibly change my sport up a bit of bit?”
Pierce acknowledged that altering his sport to mesh with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen shouldn’t be the identical as Brown having to regulate with out Tatum. Pierce needed to learn to accomodate extra achieved scorers than he had beforehand performed with. Brown has to determine the way to take care of the lack of Tatum’s scoring with out forcing issues an excessive amount of.
“It’s a distinct scenario, nevertheless it’s actually like that for him,” Pierce mentioned. “He can’t have the mindset like, I’ve acquired to go in and rating extra factors as a result of we’re shedding factors in Tatum. No, I’ve acquired to be extra accountable. I’ve acquired to make the gamers round me higher. I’ve acquired to be taught the sport extra well-rounded. That’s what’s going to make him higher in the long term as a participant.”
Brown’s elevated workload will contain extra than simply scoring, as he confirmed in Recreation 5 towards the Knicks when he dished out 12 assists towards two turnovers together with pouring in 26 factors. His playmaking was essential in the one sport the Celtics gained with out Tatum in that collection.
There will probably be stress to sharpen that a part of his sport and attain a extra constant stage. The next sport, the Knicks pressured Brown into seven turnovers and lower his help whole in half down to six.
“I feel he’s going to get a chance to indicate extra of his versatility,” Pierce mentioned. “As a result of, you realize, he handles the ball, however he doesn’t get the identical duty that Tatum will get. Tatum had the ball extra for dealing with and making performs, and now that’s on Jaylen.”
“How a lot better can he be in a pick-and-roll scenario making choices? He didn’t actually have that duty as a lot as Jayson did. That’s what I’m going to be , how he’s going to be accountable when he’s shouldering the offensive load.”
The Celtics will even want management from Brown. Brown has confirmed through the years that he’s naturally extra of a vocal chief than Tatum, Pierce mentioned. His presence will probably be an essential one.
“Your finest participant don’t all the time acquired to be your chief,” Pierce mentioned. “Our championship group (2008) was loopy as a result of we had a thousand voices — (James) Posey, Eddie Home … we had about 10 leaders on that group. It wouldn’t all the time have to come back from me or KG, you realize what I’m saying?”
“However you see it in guys’ personalities, and naturally Jaylen is a vocal dude within the media, on the court docket. So he ain’t nothing totally different so far as that.”
Join Celtics updates🏀
Get breaking information and evaluation delivered to your inbox throughout basketball season.
