{"id":7159,"date":"2024-11-14T07:07:45","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T07:07:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=7159"},"modified":"2024-11-14T07:07:45","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T07:07:45","slug":"jayson-tatum-opts-out-of-a-triple-double-as-celtics-crush-nets-9-takeaways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=7159","title":{"rendered":"Jayson Tatum opts out of a triple-double as Celtics crush Nets: 9 takeaways"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n

Tatum notched 36 points and 10 assists, but fell one rebound shy of the triple-double.<\/h2>\n
\"Jayson
Jayson Tatum dominated the Nets Wednesday night. (Photo by Sarah Stier\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/header>\n

Jayson Tatum and the Celtics responded to Tuesday\u2019s loss to the Hawks by drubbing the Nets 139-114 on Wednesday, outscoring Brooklyn by 20 in the second half.<\/p>\n

Here are the takeaways.<\/p>\n

Jayson Tatum nearly had an MVP-caliber triple-double.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Tatum nearly posted an eye-popping triple-double: 36 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists. He half-heartedly pursued a triple-double on his last few possessions, clearly aware of how many rebounds he had but also aware that pursuing triple-doubles is a bad look, and he came up respectably short with his substitute waiting on the sideline. When Joe Mazzulla asked if Tatum wanted to stay in and pursue the triple-double, Tatum declined. A good game and good vibes, all around.<\/p>\n

The balky ankle that bothered Tatum against the Hawks and made people (including us here) wonder whether he would even play on Wednesday didn\u2019t seem to be an issue. Tatum punished smaller defenders, and he caught a heater from 3-point range that was never doused \u2014 12-for-19 from the floor, and 5-for-6 from behind the arc. He was +24 in the box score, second only to Brown at +27, who was on the floor longer during the Celtics\u2019 third-quarter run that broke the game open.<\/p>\n

Tatum is now leading the league in points, as well as points+rebounds+assists. In other words, he has been one of the NBA\u2019s best players in raw production so far, and his team is nearly five points per 100 possessions better when he\u2019s on the floor, which is pretty impressive given that they are outscoring teams by 12 points per 100 possessions overall.<\/p>\n

There are other MVP-caliber players in the league, and Nikola Jokic in particular is *averaging* a triple-double, so Tatum might not be the favorite at this stage, but he was and has been not just excellent, but the type of star that his enormous potential always used to promise that he could become.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s only 13 games, so we still got a long way to go to compare it to other seasons,\u201d Tatum told reporters afterward. \u201cBut I think I\u2019m getting older in the sense of being in better physical shape. Being 26, this is the best physically I\u2019ve felt compared to other years, and I think that\u2019s just me coming into my own, and just picking up from where we left off last year, and knowing what we\u2019re trying to achieve, and knowing that it starts from day one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jaylen Brown took responsibility, then responded.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Brown called himself and Tatum out after the loss to the Hawks, saying they both needed to be better.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Brown was significantly better as well \u2013 24 points, 12 rebounds and four assists without a turnover after turning it over six times against the Hawks. Brown scored 13 of his points in the second quarter, during which the Celtics didn\u2019t pull away, but they did flip a four-point deficit into a five-point lead before halftime.<\/p>\n

\u201cYesterday we had 11 combined turnovers,\u201d Brown said, referencing himself and Tatum. \u201cTonight we only had one. So, much better. We\u2019ve just got to make that a habit and be that consistently throughout the year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brown is trying to start something with his sneakers.<\/h3>\n

Brown unveiled his signature shoe from his own company, 741 Performance, prior to the start of the season.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, a reporter asked Brown how things have been going and how involved he has been in the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cExtremely. It\u2019s been a fun journey,\u201d Brown said. \u201cLearning about the sneaker industry, but also being able to make decisions on behalf of what I feel like is ethical, but also what I feel like can also have an effect on how athletes view, and I looked at business-wise.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s a lot of industries that have built organizations off of talent and influence, but we don\u2019t ever see a lot of the talent and influence build a lot of those organizations themselves and be able to benefit off of that. That goes for the music industry, that goes for media companies, that goes for the sneaker industry. So me taking part in that and encouraging that, hopefully in the next 10-20 years we\u2019ll see more athletes, more entertainers, more artists in general, actors, actresses, be able to create and manufacture and produce their own companies and organizations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Payton Pritchard is having a breakout season.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Pritchard hasn\u2019t been a different player this season as much as he has been a fully realized version of himself \u2014 feisty, deeply competitive, tough as nails and quite simply really good at every facet of playing basketball.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Pritchard was spectacular off the bench once again \u2014 23 points, five rebounds, eights assists, 8-for-13 shooting (5-for-9 from three), two steals and generally disruptive on-ball defense. He made 3-pointers. He made some tough twos. He played both ends of the floor really effectively and was part of the late Celtics run that helped put the game away.<\/p>\n

Earlier this week, Brian Scalabrine said he thought Pritchard might average 27 per game if he started for another team, which is probably hyperbole (Pritchard is averaging 20 points per 36 minutes this season), but it\u2019s not insane given the production he has put up this season.<\/p>\n

\u201cPayton\u2019s been great, and that\u2019s what we need,\u201d Brown said. \u201cHe\u2019s been a superstar in his role. It\u2019s kind of expected because he\u2019s done it so much, and he\u2019s done it so well.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut obviously it\u2019s a long season. We\u2019ve got to keep encouraging him, finding him, and at times even playing through him, letting Payton run the show. I don\u2019t mind. Especially when the guys have a role and just have the mindset that we\u2019re a team and whatever it takes to get it done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pritchard the high flier<\/h3>\n

In the second quarter, Pritchard somehow managed to sneak this put-back over the rim for two of his 23 points.<\/p>\n

\n

Look at this hustle from Payton Pritchard to tip in the Jaylen Brown miss! pic.twitter.com\/HlR6EygVTa<\/a><\/p>\n

— Danielle Hobeika (@DanielleHobeika) November 14, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n