We could be surprised. Use superlatives galore and propel the Celtics winger to the top of the MVP trophy race. But roll a tank through a wheat field and the result is bound to be devastating. For Jayson Tatum in the Hornets defense, it’s the same. Forgive us the expression hein, but what an idea of the sea**.
The pretty homemade boxscore is HERE!
Jayson Tatum in Charlotte’s defense? A hot knife in a lump of butter.
More generally, the Hornets have the 27th defense in the NBAwhen Boston is positioned in 2nd best attack. The analysis of this meeting was not very complicated to mount. Stats sometimes don’t mean much, but this time the equation worked out perfectly. Black on white. Contrast not super pleasant to observe: Jayson Tatum was already at 20 points at 6/10 shooting at halftime. Too easy, not even fell into euphoria. He himself knew what was at stake in this meeting, namely to beat a team that did not necessarily ask to win. No big waves in the Hornets. We observed without shuddering the breakthroughs of LaMelo Ball – too clumsy in the first half – the cleanliness of a very lonely Jaden McDaniels, or even Terry Rozier bowing down in front of his former teammates (6/17 in shooting for the elder of the green house). Lots of credit for Grant Williams’ defense of LaMelo, Robert Williams III’s strong comeback, and – of course – Jayson Tatum’s 51 points at 15/23 shooting.
Third Best All-Time Scoring on a Martin Luther King Day, just behind Damian Lillard’s 61 points in 2020, Kemba Walker’s 52 in 2016, and tied with Gilbert Arenas’ 51 in 2007. That’s banging. But now, we will not keep a Dantesque memory. Quite a few points from Tatum in a money time to false suspense. The 1st team from the East against the last. A sixth straight win for Boston, a fifth straight loss for Charlotte. Absolutely everything opposed them. If it had been necessary to set up a scenario to type Wilt’s record, this is probably the one we would have chosen. And even. In good killjoy, Jayson Tatum did not even play his last possession. Ball 30 seconds from time: nothing to square, it was already squeezing the hand of the opponents. A lascar attitude that lives for the cameras. “Hey, did you see? I don’t care about scoring 😉”. Not ours Jayson, not ours.
JAYSON TATUM 51 PIECE ‼️
HE DROPPED 18 PTS IN Q4 pic.twitter.com/dinmve9N8T
— NBA (@NBA) January 16, 2023
