Pushed: how Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum fueled the Finals and what it means for subsequent season

Within the NBA Finals, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown achieved one thing outstanding. Over 5 video games in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks, the 2 mixed for 184 drives to the basket. This averages to greater than 19 drives per recreation for Tatum and over 17 per recreation for Brown.

Drive them loopy

To place this into perspective, solely 4 gamers within the NBA final season averaged greater than 17 drives per recreation: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (23.5), Ja Morant (21.2), Jalen Brunson (19.5), and Luka Dončić (17.6). Now, we are able to’t anticipate Tatum and Brown to drive this typically all through the common season. Nonetheless, what if as an alternative of 9 or so drives per recreation, they drove 14 or 15 occasions? This potential to drive regularly would open up alternatives for each of them, however much more for the remainder of the group.

Let’s have a look at some numbers to raised perceive how impactful it was:

Their total utilization charge (USG%) didn’t change considerably from the common season to the NBA Finals. Nonetheless, Jayson Tatum’s playmaking improved dramatically, as evidenced by his help share (AST%).

The place did this enchancment come from? The drives.

Tatum doubled his quantity of drives (+111%) from the common season to the Finals and tripled his variety of passes on drives per recreation (+265%).

Jaylen Brown confirmed the same pattern. He elevated his variety of drives, passes on drives, and assists from drives. Their potential to ramp up their driving when it mattered most bodes effectively for the long run.

Why it issues when it issues

For the final two years, I’ve been involved in regards to the Celtics’ potential to get within the paint. So involved, actually, that I traveled from France to Boston to ask head coach Joe Mazzulla about it. Again in February, the Celtics ranked close to the underside of the league in drives per recreation. Why weren’t they driving extra? Perhaps as a result of they didn’t must at that time. However when the stakes had been highest, the Celtics’ historic spacing was lastly complemented by aggressive drives to the basket.

We first noticed glimpses of this hidden power within the postseason in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers. Then, in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks, when the strain was at its peak, the Boston Celtics ramped up the aggression much more, averaging greater than 54 drives per recreation.

This technique unlocked success for the Celtics. With Tatum driving 19.2 occasions per recreation and Brown 17.6 occasions, the Celtics totally capitalized on their spacing. In fashionable basketball, the objective is to create “paint touches”—getting the ball into the opponent’s paint, the place the protection is most susceptible and compelled to make fast selections. These drives didn’t all the time end in layups or dunks, however they constantly pressured the protection to break down and get better, producing the very best shot.

Extra drives result in extra paint touches, which result in extra alternatives for defensive breakdowns. Joe Mazzulla acknowledged this and instilled it in his gamers. Throughout a timeout, Mazzulla reminded his group: “Don’t attempt to hit a house run on the primary drive, or the second, or the third—take the perfect shot potential.” This circles again to the central concept: you don’t drive to attain instantly; you drive to create the perfect shot.

A play in Sport 2 of the Finals completely encapsulates this method. Brown drove right into a crowded paint and kicked the ball out to Derrick White, who shortly swung it again to Tatum. As this unfolded, Jrue Vacation relocated to the nook. Tatum then drove once more, forcing the already overextended Dallas protection into additional disarray. Luka Dončić was late, Kyrie Irving helped on the drive, and Tatum kicked out to a wide-open Vacation within the nook. Two drives in a single possession, each resulting in passes and in the end creating the perfect shot potential.

Can they do it once more subsequent yr?

It’s unlikely they’ll drive as a lot as they did throughout the NBA Finals. Nonetheless, with Kristaps Porziņģis sidelined for some time, they could want to extend their driving in comparison with final season. With Porziņģis on the ground, it was simpler for the Celtics to assault the rim and generate high quality pictures. In line with PBP Stats, each shot high quality and rim frequency improved when the Latvian was on the courtroom. With out him, the Celtics might want to discover different methods to generate beauty, and Tatum and Brown must take the lead.

I imagine they not solely can do it subsequent yr, however they have to. The Celtics might want to proceed creating mismatches and straightforward driving lanes for Tatum and Brown. They need to leverage their power and playmaking progress to generate high-quality pictures for themselves and the group. Nonetheless, now that opponents are conscious of the Celtics’ potential to generate drives, how will they adapt? Can Jayson and Jaylen drive at a excessive quantity in opposition to any group and each defensive scheme?

This can be a key statistical and strategic indicator to comply with subsequent season, and I’ll be right here to share my ideas on it.