How Tatum Picked Apart Miami’s Defense for Game-High 10 Assists
Jayson Tatum tallied his first career playoff triple-double while leading Boston to a 114-94 win during Sunday’s Game 1 against Miami. He assisted on eight of the team’s first 12 points as they opened the game with a 12-0 (and eventually, a 14-0) run.
The path Tatum took toward notching his 10 assists was not a straight one. He generated open looks for the Celtics in a variety of ways as he navigated Miami’s complex defense. So let’s dig in and break down all the different ways the superstar wing set his teammates up for success throughout the contest.
Boston went to Tatum in the post on the very first possession of the game, which is typically a statement of how a team is going to approach a game. Tatum posts up on Caleb Martin and, as he makes his move, he draws not one, not two, but three defenders.
Tatum missed the dunk but grabbed his own rebound, and as a result of the attention he drew on his initial move, he had a pick-em opportunity of which teammate to pass to for an open 3-pointer. Among the options were Jaylen Brown on the left wing, Derrick White at the top of the arc, and Jrue Holiday on the right wing. He chose Brown, and Brown promptly drilled the triple for the first points of the game.
As Nikola Jokvic said after Game 1, “Last year was easier (to defend the Celtics) because they didn’t have (Kristaps) Porzingis.” Porzingis’ presence as a 7-foot-2 big man who can shoot has put Miami’s defense in a bind all season long, including Sunday afternoon.
That’s why Tatum made it a point to hit KP with entry passes as often as possible to let the big man go to work. He did so on the possession above when he saw Porzingis defended by 6-foot-5 Tyler Herro. When Tatum can find KP in that type of matchup, it’s almost an automatic bucket. It’s as simple as making the shot.