Sometimes a slight tweak is all it takes.
And for Jayson Tatum and his jump shot, it’s made a world of difference.
Through two preseason games, Tatum’s jumper has looked noticeably smootherAFP
The Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets fared off for two preseason games in Abu Dhabi, and everyone seemed to take notice in Tatum’s revamped jumper, specifically in the second of the two games.
Tatum finished with 17 points on 6-14 shooting, while going 3-7 from deep in 23 minutes. By no means are these numbers noticeable, but it’s the way it looked that stood out.
Yes, it is the smallest of sample sizes, but the early returns on Tatum’s jumper and struggles from the Olympics and throughout last year’s postseason, seem to be well on the way of getting put to bed.
Matt Moore, noted NBA Writer for Action Network posted X: “Tatum’s jumper looking cleaner is a little tiny thing from preseason that I think you can note of.”
Keith Smith, of Spotrac and Front Office Sports, also noticed the difference in Tatum’s jumper, saying: “Jayson Tatum’s form on his jumper is way cleaner. Hitch is gone, release is quicker and at the top of his rise.”
Again, a very small sample size, but so far so good.
It was never that Tatum couldn’t shoot, it was just that he seemed to lose confidence in his shot towards the end of the season and through the Olympics.
You might think that a guy who is coming off an NBA championship and gold medal might not need to work on much, but that wasn’t the case for the Celtics star.
At media day, Tatum revealed what he worked on in the offseason.
“Been working with my trainer Drew (Hanlen) a lot, recently in the last few weeks,” Tatum said. “Pick-up points, hand placement, getting lower, keeping my shoulders forward and things like that.
Tatum and the Celtics are looking to be the first team to repeat since the Golden State Warriors in 2017-2018Getty
“There were some things I could have fixed, but in the midst of the playoffs, trying to manage your rest, it’s a little tougher. I was still playing well.
“I just wasn’t shooting the ball as well as I would have liked. And obviously, we were winning. So it wasn’t the time or the place to try to fix things in that moment.”
The good news for Boston Celtics fans, and bad news for the rest of the league, is that Tatum believes he hasn’t reached the best version of himself yet.
“Overall, I can still get better,” Tatum said in an interview with NBC Sports Boston.
“You haven’t seen the best version of Jayson Tatum. And you shouldn’t. I’m only 26. I should continue to keep getting better.”
That’s a scary thought for the rest of the league.
At 26 years old, Tatum is already an NBA champion, five-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA first team, owns a pair of gold medals, and has the Celtics in a prime position to be the first team to win back-to-back titles since the Golden State Warriors did it with Kevin Durant in 2017/18.
Tatum and Brown are arguably the best duo in the entire leagueGetty
The Celtics will begin the season as the favourites to win the title, and rightfully so, as they return everyone from last season’s championship team.
Except this time, expect a better and more improved Tatum.
One who is confident in his jumper that knows he is still improving.
Good luck to everybody else.
