Jayson Tatum finished fourth in the 2022-23 NBA MVP voting.
You wouldn't know that much if you watched the Boston Celtics' win in Game 2 over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
Sure, that might be a tad harsh toward the four-time All-Star, but Tatum's performance in the victory was far from what fans in Boston have come to expect. He finished with just seven points to go along with his seven rebounds, three assists and one block. In his 18 minutes played, Tatum had just one made field goal, the first time he had gone a game without scoring more than one field goal since November 11, 2019.
That's not ideal, and cannot be the case if the Celtics hope to steal a game back in Philadelphia. That's why Tatum has a plan.
"I mean, try not to foul out," Tatum said when asked what he'll change in Game 3, per NBC Sports Boston. "I only played 18 minutes so it was like a day off. So I gotta stay out of foul trouble today."
Solid plan.
Tatum's lack of impact didn't hinder the Celtics in Game 2, as Boston's defensive intensity and philosophy shift helped them rout the 76ers at TD Garden. Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon all stepped in to make up the lost Tatum numbers and essentially put the game away after three quarters. If Tatum can stay out of foul trouble, his addition to a unit that intends on being more focused moving forward could help shift the series' momentum firmly in the direction of Boston.
