"Shoot the seams off the ball": NBA analyst backs Jayson Tatum's resurgence and solidifies Boston as favorites
Despite finally breaking through and winning a championship, the main story regarding Jayson Tatum was his lack of play in the Olympics. Following some offensive struggles in Paris, one analyst is all in on the All-Star forward bouncing back in 2025.
Tatum saw limited action for Team USA due to a jump-shooting cold spell in the Summer Games. Seeing that he was fresh off being the best player on a championship team, his minimal playing time was jarring to some.
During the Boston Celtics' media day, Tatum claimed he hasn't reached his full potential yet. Analyst Jason Timpf re-posted the clip and showed faith that his jumper will return to form and the Celtics will contend again.
"I think he’s going to shoot the seams off the ball this year and it’s going to be a problem. The rest of the league has gotten better, but Tatum returning to form is going to make these guys really tough to beat 4 out of 7," Timpf tweeted on X on Monday.
During the Olympics, Tatum posted measly averages of 5.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He shot 8-for-21 (38.1%) from the field and 0-for-4 from beyond the arc in four games. Tatum's lone standout showing came against Puerto Rico in the Group Phase, when he recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds in a blowout win.
History backs that Jayson Tatum's jumpshot struggles are an outlier
Jayson Tatum's struggles in the Olympics might have been concerning at the moment but should not be seen as a major issue. History shows that the Celtics star shouldn't have problems with this area of his game come the regular season.
One thing that got overlooked is Tatum was fresh off a deep playoff run in which he was a primary option. With little time between the finals and the Olympics, he was far from 100% heading into the Paris games.
Looking into the numbers, jump shooting is far from a weak area in Tatum's game. Since entering the NBA, he's been an efficient shooter inside and outside the 3-point line.
Tatum has shot 37.5% from beyond the arc on moderate volume. He's also converted over 50% over his two-point attempts in his last four seasons. Based on his overall percentages over the past seven seasons, it's fair to assume that Tatum's shooting in the Olympics is an outlier.
Heading into their title defense, Tatum will be a focal point of the Celtics offense. His shot returning to form will be crucial as he prepares against the league's best defenders.