“Every coach in league would take him on their team” - Frank Isola surprised at criticism of 3x All-Star after poor performances in NBA Finals
Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum has come under criticism for his performances in the NBA Finals. However, according to sportswriter Frank Isola, this criticism is unwarranted.
During an appearance on SiriusXM NB Radio, Isola spoke about how every team in the league would be raring to have a player like Tatum on their roster. He also highlighted that Tatum has had a good postseason and has only dropped off in the NBA Finals. Isola said:
"I'm surprised by how many people are down on Jayson Tatum. I mean, it is the NBA Finals for crying out loud. This is the first time he's been to something of this magnitude. He's been at moments great all playoff long.
"He hasn't been great in the finals, but he's good. Go ask every general manager and head coach if they think Jayson Tatum is a superstar. Every coach in the league would take him on their team."
Jayson Tatum is averaging 23.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists in the Finals. He's shooting 47.5% from beyond the arc, but 37.3% overall and less than 65.6% from the line.
"Every coach in the league would take him on their team."
@TheFrankIsola doesn’t understand why fans are down on Jayson Tatum right now
#NBAFinals https://t.co/EiRmMrIHcr
Can the Celtics win Game 6 of the NBA Finals?
The Boston Celtics have been in precarious positions before. They were down 3-2 against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference semifinals. However, they responded and won Games 6 and 7 with a total point differential of 33.
The Celtics have prided themselves on starting games well, but in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Warriors, they were down by 11 points after the first 12 minutes.
If this happens in Game 6, they will lose the series.
Moreover, they will need to prepare for a bounce back game for Steph Curry, who struggled from three-point range in the previous game. The Boston Celtics will need to play stifling defense again on the greatest shooter of all time if they are to level the series.
Either way, Ime Udoka's men have their work cut out going into Game 6. The Boston Celtics will need to set the tempo right from tip-off and stay aggressive as they look to force a Game 7.