Layup Lines is our daily NBA newsletter. Here you’ll find a tip-off on tonight’s action. We’ll tell you what to watch and which bets to place. Get it delivered straight to your inbox every other day by signing up here Charles Curtis is today’s host.
Let me begin by saying that Jayson Tatum is a joy to watch. He was a great player. I first saw him at Madison Square Garden when he was dismantling the Knicks a few years back. I couldn’t believe his confidence. He knew what he was doing every time he touched the ball. It was smart, methodical, and deadly. This is what you would expect from a centerpiece.
However, Tatum is not yet a superstar as we have seen.
He’s a true star. After a career-high in points, rebounds and assists, it was the fifth season of a great season for the forward. It’s clear that he has put together a lot at the age of 24.
However, he struggled in Game 1. For a while, he struggled. He struggled for a while for a Celtics team that could have a path into the NBA Finals, with Khris Midton playing for Milwaukee. He needs to find the right gear.
He might think I’m rushing him. He’s only 24. This particular echelon was reached by him last year — star but not yet MVP-level. He has a lot of room to improve, even though he is part of Jaylen Brown’s team.
Maybe that’s what Boston has in mind. They could use a Tatum Brown, Marcus Smart, and Robert Williams core to help them for a while. This is a contender team, but it’s only possible if Tatum can reach the same level as the stars in this league.
What should they do? They should, literally, break up the Jazz
This was the statement that our Prince Grimes made on Tuesday. Rumours swirled about Gobert wanting to leave.
The thing is, regardless of whether the report is true, Mitchell and Gobert would be right not to continue this relationship. It’s over. That has nothing to do their personal relationships, which likely ended a long time ago. Even if their personal relationships are good, we have seen enough of the product on court. Mitchell and Gobert are likely to be the best players on any team, which they will probably always be. However, that team doesn’t have a ceiling. It may not be the Western Conference Finals.
