While much attention has rightfully been focused on All-Star swingman Jayson Tatum’s significant improvements on both offense and defense, a not-small part of what has made the Duke product so hard to contain has been his growth as a facilitator.
Like teammate and fellow wing denizen Jaylen Brown, improving his ability to dump off the rock when doubled — which is occuring much more often now — or to find an open shooter left alone due to Tatum’s increased gravity has been a lethal combination for opponents.
While the St. Louis native will not likely be playing the point any time soon, the growth as a passer this season by Tatum is evident in the eye test as much as the stat lines.
With his assists per game jumping from 2.1 to 2.9 per game from last season to this one, and his assist percentage growing from 10 to 14 %, Tatum’s development as a playmaker has taken an important step forward.
Watch the video above to see for yourself how the former Blue Devil has grown as a distributor initiating the Celtics’ offense in a variety of ways this season.
