{"id":1560663,"date":"2023-05-05T09:16:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-05T13:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1560663"},"modified":"2023-05-05T09:16:01","modified_gmt":"2023-05-05T13:16:01","slug":"jayson-tatum-overhyped-or-underrated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/jayson-tatum-overhyped-or-underrated\/","title":{"rendered":"Jayson Tatum: Overhyped or Underrated?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

OK, fill in the blank. Jayson Tatum<\/a> is a(n) _______ basketball player. Ask 10 people, and you'll likely get 10 different answers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Boston Celtics<\/a> forward is a star. Some say superstar. Nobody scored more points in the NBA than Tatum this season, but nobody shot more. In his sixth NBA season, Tatum is a four-time All-Star who has improved each season. He also struggled last year in the postseason<\/a> and hasn't taken charge in these playoffs. So, where does Tatum stand? Is he overhyped, underrated, or somewhere in between?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consistency has been a problem for Jayson Tatum <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Jayson
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics looks on during the first quarter of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on May 3, 2023, in Boston, Massachusetts. | Maddie Meyer\/Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Jayson Tatum helped the Celtics get over a significant hump last season. Prior to last year, the Celtics reached the Eastern Conference Finals three times in the last five years. They never got to the championship round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tatum and the Celtics earned the No. 2 seed in the postseason and battled their way through a grueling playoff series. After sweeping the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving-led Brooklyn Nets, they knocked off the Milwaukee Bucks and then the top-seeded Miami Heat, both in seven games. They ran out of gas against the Warriors, falling in Game 6 at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tatum and Jaylen Brown, arguably the NBA's top tandem,<\/a> struggled in the playoffs last year. Tatum had one game where he put the Celtics on his back. That came on the road in Game 6 against the Bucks. With his team in a must-win situation, down 3-2 in the series, Tatum scored 46 points and was the best player on the court. Outside of that, he and Brown had several costly turnovers throughout the playoffs and just didn't step up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, it's been more of the same for Tatum. He had 39 points in an embarrassing Game 1 loss at home<\/a> to the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. Philly played without league MVP Joel Embiid. Tatum, however, had one field goal in the fourth quarter. In Game 2, Tatum had three more points (7) than personal fouls (4) and missed six of his seven shots in a Celtics victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Tatum a top-five player?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Filling the pot of gold with 30+ PPG \ud83c\udf72

Jayson Tatum, Celtics seek a 2-0 lead vs. ATL at 7pm\/et on NBA TV. pic.twitter.com\/kA39WoOQWq<\/a><\/p>— NBA (@NBA) April 18, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>