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Celtics' Holiday praises overlooked aspect of Jayson Tatum's game

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Celtics' Jrue Holiday praises overlooked aspect of Jayson Tatum's game

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 5/12/24

Jayson Tatum is the Boston Celtics' best player. He's an All-Star. He's a two-time All-NBA First Team selection. And he's an MVP candidate.

Tatum is among the best offensive players in the NBA. However, throughout the current season, he's adapted his approach and has emerged as one of the most complete players in the league.

Nevertheless, Tatum's offensive ability is his calling card. He's an elite scoring threat, high-level playmaker and added a screening game to his long offensive skill set.

Yet, guard Jrue Holiday praised Tatum's impact on the defensive end. His comments came as he spoke to the media during his postgame news conference following the Celtics' 106-93 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.

“JT is always going to be JT on the offensive end," Holiday said. "But I think defensively he did a great job, got some key stops, some nice blocks and some big rebounds. I know that we trust him so much on the offensive end, but defensively is really where I’m just so impressed by him because I don’t think he gets enough credit on the defensive end."

Tatum has been receiving significant criticism over the past week. His offensive impact hasn't been at the level many had expected.

In his eight postseason games so far, he's averaging 23.1 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists on 49.4 percent shooting from two-point range and 26.5 percent from three-point range. It's those struggles from the perimeter that have been letting him down.

Nevertheless, Tatum is proving himself to be a high-level help defender. He often starts defensive possessions in the weakside corner, allowing him to rotate over as a helper and provide secondary rim protection or to use his length to stifle drives on the wing. His defense has been of increased importance for the Celtics following Kristaps Porzingis' absence due to injury.

The Celtics need Tatum to be impactful on both sides of the floor. They're seen as favorites to make it out of the Eastern Conference and are one of the favorites to win the championship this season. Having your best player operating at an elite level is a prerequisite for that kind of success. The Celtics do have the luxury of having arguably the most talented roster in the NBA.

Nevertheless, Holiday's comments will likely help shine a light on Tatum's two-way production. His ability to dictate play, score, rebound and defend multiple positions is what makes him one of the best players in the world. Of course, all of that will only matter if the Celtics are hoisting their 18th banner into the rafters during the summer.

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