Boston Celtics: Grading each player’s first half performance
By John Ryan
Jayson Tatum
Grade: A
Tatum has become a star player in front of our eyes this season, concluding his phenomenal first half with a 39-point game over Kawhi Leonard in the Celtics latest win. During the month of February, Tatum has scored at least 25 points in six of the Boston Celtics’ last seven games. He is averaging 22.4 points per game on the year and has done so efficiently, shooting 38.2 percent from 3-point-range. He has become a legitimate go-to scorer and may already be the Celtics’ best player.
What’s so impressive about Tatum’s leap is that he’s clearly still growing as a player. As previously mentioned, he’s already become an elite scorer, but he still can become better around the rim. Tatum will continue to get better and as he does he will grow into a superstar in this league. His confidence is growing and he’s reaching new highs seemingly every time he takes the floor.
light. Related Story. Reliving Kevin Garnett's time as a Boston Celtic
An underrated part of Tatum’s season has been his performance on the defensive end. He’s long, quick, and has begun to fill out his frame. In turn, he’s taken a step forward as a perimeter defender and can now hold his own in the post. Tatum’s first half of the season has been as good as we could have hoped for, yet he still has plenty of room to grow.