The Boston Celtics are going to put all of their weight on the gas pedal when the NBA Playoffs come. Coach Joe Mazzulla has all the reason to because Jaylen Brown is an MVP candidates while they also have the depth necessary to win the Larry O'Brien trophy. A lot of people think that this squad still does not have the depth needed to win it all and Jayson Tatum coming off a significant injury remains to be a concern. However, the superstar who has just recovered is reinventing himself prior to the postseason.
Tatum sharpens skill that will help Celtics in NBA Playoffs
Defense is the best asset that the Celtics have when it comes to the NBA Playoffs. They lead the league in the least amount of points allowed because their opponents only notch 106.9 points per game. Coach Mazzulla has also schemed his way into making this Celtics team have 112.6 defensive rating which ranks fourth in the association.
So, where does Tatum fit in all of this? Well, he has an absurd career-high rebounding rate which clocks in at 28.9%. Coach Mazzulla has been observing this for a while and loved how Tatum has been helping the Celtics through it, via Jay King of The Athletic.
"Saw his defensive rebounding. I thought that was the most important thing," the Celtics head coach declared.
Tatum is a big factor as to why the Celtics have managed to keep games close despite just coming off an Achilles injury. His career-high rebounding rate helps Coach Mazzulla's squad get a league-leading 78.2% rebounding rate. Not to mention, those numbers slowly funnel in to their defensive rating prior to the NBA Playoffs. Tatum has seen how his rebounding has affected the Celtics and does not have plans of slowing his newly sharpened skill.
"I’m playing more minutes now. It’s a thing, like, 10 and a half months of not playing, your wind, your legs, fatigue sets in, and those things take time. But for me, just trying to figure out areas and ways where I can still try to make a positive impact on the game," the Celtics superstar said.
The Celtics have a very real shot of still being grabbing the best record in the Eastern Conference in the NBA Playoffs. Will Tatum's rebounding be the reason why they get it?
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