Milwaukee is a top contender but teams would just hunt Middleton every time down the floor. I don’t think Lillard and Giannis can overcome Middleton’s goofy eyes and buck teeth.It's pretty funny to compare them to other top cores in terms of attractiveness:
Denver: Jokic, Murray, Gordon, MPJ. Just MPJ, mayyybbbe Murray if you stretch it.
OKC: SGA, Chet, Jalen Williams. SGA, other two are oof.
Milwaukee: this is a good-looking core. Real threat in the East.
LAL: lol
LAC: PG13 is a model, but that's it.
I can go on, we still have another day to go!
Welp, never gonna un-see that one.Every time I think of Middleton, this tweet comes to mind.
View: https://twitter.com/kingDiaws/status/1747796801351004206
Makes you wonder why.I am pretty sure PP completely outkicked his coverage with his wife
I think it’s also a function of his tighter handle combined with his excellent body control in traffic in the paint. His footwork has improved dramatically this season.During the game last night, Redick said Tatum has the highest “blow by” rate in the league. It’s not a freely available stat, but I thought that was interesting.
I don’t think anyone would say Tatum has an electric first step, probably just good. I’d probably consider that tangible evidence of what the threat of his pull-up does.
I don’t disagree with what you say, but blow by rate is just about the point of attack on the perimeter.I think it’s also a function of his tighter handle combined with his excellent body control in traffic in the paint. His footwork has improved dramatically this season.
I would guess much of that has to do with how defenders try to play him out on the perimeter, getting right up in his grill.I don’t disagree with what you say, but blow by rate is just about the point of attack on the perimeter.
Yes, which was my original point. Because of the threat of him pulling up, defenders are all up on him.I would guess much of that has to do with how defenders try to play him out on the perimeter, getting right up in his grill.
Inside and outside though, right? My point is that his footwork/handle have improved to where he can beat defenders on either side with ease.I don’t disagree with what you say, but blow by rate is just about the point of attack on the perimeter.
I think this is why he had a brief slump after the ASB. Those bumps on the perimeter have been fouls for years, and since the break, the league have basically wiped them out. He’s seemingly adjusted now, and is super physical on drives.He's also gotten stronger, so once he turns the shoulder on them now he is gone---they used to be able to redirect him a bit. But no more. That matters a lot after the blow-by...he often gets to the cup now cleanly, whereas he used to get redirected a step or two and that allows help to get to him more often (while also raising degree of difficulty on the layup)
All I could find was the definition of the stat.i feel like half his blow bys now are really just muscling through dudes. not sure how they count a blow by
There is a niche statistic inside Second Spectrum, the basketball geek's bible, called “blow-by rate.” It tracks the exact quality it sounds like it does: the percentage of time a dribbler blows by his defender when he drives to the hoop.
Good point, and agreed.I think this is why he had a brief slump after the ASB. Those bumps on the perimeter have been fouls for years, and since the break, the league have basically wiped them out. He’s seemingly adjusted now, and is super physical on drives.
Agreed, crunch time stats suffer from an SSS, especially for the Celtics who spent the year tarring & feathering teams over the first 43 minutes. I wonder how many shot attempts each of his teammates took.Seems to fit my recollection @benhogan, although the difference between Tatum and say, Durant, is about 3 makes.
This is the best news I've seen in quite some time
Move Drew into the Auerbach Center for 2 months and interview him for Charles Lee's spot (once he leaves)
I don't think that's fair, if you're basing it on last night. He made some nice passes, set Jaylen Brown up for a wide open 3. I do think his defense was subpar last night, except for the team's brief flurry late in the 2nd quarter.I think Tatum still sees himself as predominantly an isolation scorer rather than a "figure out what the game needs from him and do that" guy. He's made great strides in the right direction (see Miami game 1), but under pressure he reverts to being an iso guy (game 2). Sometimes it works (4th quarter Philly game 6 last year) but it doesn't work often enough. His greatness is not that of a great scorer but that of a guy who can do a little (and quite often a lot) of everything at both ends of the floor.
I give up. Tatum played excellent ball last night, as befitting a player who desrerves an MVP award. If he can keep doing what he did last night, he will lead the Celtics to a championship.It never fails lol. The consensus everywhere was that Tatum was either too passive as a scorer, or that the team fell too in love with matchup hunting with whoever Herro was guarding. Come here and EJ saying that he was just looking to ISO.
That’s about as satirical as your usual posts, so don’t give up.I give up. Tatum played excellent ball last night, as befitting a player who desrerves an MVP award. If he can keep doing what he did last night, he will lead the Celtics to a championship.
Yep, that's exactly what I saw. Tatum's defense stunk. Nobody on this team needs to leave their man to help double Bam or any other Heat player.I don't think that's fair, if you're basing it on last night. He made some nice passes, set Jaylen Brown up for a wide open 3. I do think his defense was subpar last night, except for the team's brief flurry late in the 2nd quarter.
I thought Tatum was really good on offense last night. There was only one possession where he forced it and threw up a bad shot that I can remember, and it was a play where he had Herro on him and looked like he thought he could get a call.I think Tatum still sees himself as predominantly an isolation scorer rather than a "figure out what the game needs from him and do that" guy. He's made great strides in the right direction (see Miami game 1), but under pressure he reverts to being an iso guy (game 2). Sometimes it works (4th quarter Philly game 6 last year) but it doesn't work often enough. His greatness is not that of a great scorer but that of a guy who can do a little (and quite often a lot) of everything at both ends of the floor.
Q4. Winnable game. Tatum played the entire quarter. One of three from the field. 4 points. One rebound. One assist. One turnover. No blocks or steals. I think I'd limit any plaudits for him based on his failure to impact that game in any positive way when it mattered most.I thought Tatum was really good on offense last night. There was only one possession where he forced it and threw up a bad shot that I can remember, and it was a play where he had Herro on him and looked like he thought he could get a call.
This thread is called "Jayson Tatum's Rise to the Top" and much of the discussion is why he isn't (yet) being considered an MVP. I think requirement one of being seen as an MVP is "held to a higher standard than the supporting cast."I have trouble denigrating Tatum in a game where Jrue and KP were as bad as they were. He wasn't one of the main reasons they lost
Sure however the first round of the playoffs was a best of five up until 2003 when it changed to best of seven.And Kobe had an extra year to do it in.
He's already 50th all time, which is pretty amazing, in itself.View: https://twitter.com/DickLipe/status/1784304730564354084
This was before the game - Tatum is now 3rd all-time in playoff points for a player 26 and under. If Boston goes on a long playoff run, he's basically a lock to finish at the top of this list (and unlike most of his age-related statistical achievements, this is one Luka isn't 12 months away from breaking).
View: https://twitter.com/StatMamba/status/1785858192364249357?He's already 50th all time, which is pretty amazing, in itself.
I don’t recall which thread (probably the heat series thread), but someone posted a video about Iggy explaining how Miami had their own “Tatum Rules” that dictated what to do down to the number of dribbles he’d taken, time on the clock, etc. if you rewatch that clip, but watch his reaction and body language, it certainly gives a “catalogued bulletin board material” feelTatum punked Spo so, so hard this series. Completely eviscerated every gameplan against him. That felt personal.
He was making some incredible left-handed handed bounce passes out of double teams to cutters. I wouldn't call them "flashy", but they were really impressive in terms of imagination. If he can consistently compromise the defense from that kind of coverage, I feel really good about this team.It felt like Tatum was completely in control of that series. He didn't force anything, just kept making the right read and the right play over and over again. I thought his defense was great. He seems entirely comfortable with who he is and who his team is, not coming out looking to drop 40 every night. His continued evolution offensively is so good to see.
Agree. It helps that his supporting cast is so much better.It felt like Tatum was completely in control of that series. He didn't force anything, just kept making the right read and the right play over and over again. I thought his defense was great. He seems entirely comfortable with who he is and who his team is, not coming out looking to drop 40 every night. His continued evolution offensively is so good to see.