Tatum is the youngest rookie ever to lead a to 50+ win team in minutes played

[moiso]

I don't want to jinx him, but I really hope this guy can magically go another another couple months without hitting the rookie wall.

I think he hit the wall a couple months ago and is already past it.

[droopdog7]

Simmons is 4 wins away from joining that list.  Mitchell got awfully close, but the Jazz can't quite hit 50 wins.

How is Simmons four wins from joining that group?  He’s way older than Tatum.

[Moranis]

Simmons is 4 wins away from joining that list.  Mitchell got awfully close, but the Jazz can't quite hit 50 wins.

How is Simmons four wins from joining that group?  He’s way older than Tatum.

Did you not read the opening post in the thread?

"There are only 4 other rookies that have done this are Kareem, Bird, Robinson, and Duncan."

Simmons is now 3 wins away from joining that list. 

[GreenEnvy]

I really don’t know how the heck Brad can make a rotation next season with Gordon and Tatum. Unless Tatum packs on serious muscle and Horford is fine playing C exclusively, it’s gonna be very difficult to find PT for all these guys.

May force Danny to make a move if a blockbuster presents itself.

All I know is it’s a great problem to have.

[Quetzalcoatl]

I really don’t know how the heck Brad can make a rotation next season with Gordon and Tatum. Unless Tatum packs on serious muscle and Horford is fine playing C exclusively, it’s gonna be very difficult to find PT for all these guys.

May force Danny to make a move if a blockbuster presents itself.

All I know is it’s a great problem to have.

Game 1 this year was Kyrie, Jayden, Hayward, Tatum, Horford.  That was always the plan

[kozlodoev]

I really don’t know how the heck Brad can make a rotation next season with Gordon and Tatum. Unless Tatum packs on serious muscle and Horford is fine playing C exclusively, it’s gonna be very difficult to find PT for all these guys.

May force Danny to make a move if a blockbuster presents itself.

All I know is it’s a great problem to have.

Game 1 this year was Kyrie, Jayden, Hayward, Tatum, Horford.  That was always the plan

Yes. Also, Tatum will look a bit more like a combo forward when he's one year older and one year into a real pro strength and conditioning regimen. Heck, even KG played one year of SF.

[vjcsmoke]

Simmons is 4 wins away from joining that list.  Mitchell got awfully close, but the Jazz can't quite hit 50 wins.

How is Simmons four wins from joining that group?  He’s way older than Tatum.

Did you not read the opening post in the thread?

"There are only 4 other rookies that have done this are Kareem, Bird, Robinson, and Duncan."

Simmons is now 3 wins away from joining that list.

What you say is true, but Simmons is a redshirt rookie.  What he has achieved just underlines how talented a player he is but I don't put his achievements on the exact same playing field as Tatum because Simmons had an extra year to get his body ready for the NBA while he sat out his first season.

Tatum's second season in the NBA compared to Simmon's 'rookie' year would be a more fair comparison.  I believe Tatum will turn out to be a great player.  I'm just hoping we can hold onto him even if we make a big trade aka Leonard or Davis.

[A Future of Stevens]

I don't want to jinx him, but I really hope this guy can magically go another another couple months without hitting the rookie wall.

If you look at his month by month stats, you can make the argument that he had already hit the wall. He is just rising to the challenge. Tatum has it in him.

[mctyson]

Not sure what to make of this stat but all I know is that Tatum is best rookie I have seen on the Celtics since Pierce, and he might be better.  That's a good start.

[bellerephon]

I really don’t know how the heck Brad can make a rotation next season with Gordon and Tatum. Unless Tatum packs on serious muscle and Horford is fine playing C exclusively, it’s gonna be very difficult to find PT for all these guys.

May force Danny to make a move if a blockbuster presents itself.

All I know is it’s a great problem to have.

They should be able to make it work. Between the 2, 3, and 4 spots there should be more than enough mpg. A more interesting question is what happens with Smart. When healthy Smart has been part of the closing unit along with Kyrie, Al, Jaylen and Jayson. With Gordon back next year which of those six guys will not be part of the end game unit? We have to assume that Kyrie, Al, and Gordon will be there. From an offensive standpoint Jaylen and Jayson make more sense, but Marcus does have a knack for making winning plays and is the best defender. The Celts may need him to defend the opponent's best perimeter threat down the stretch. But as you say, a good problem to have.

[green_bballers13]

Tatum is better than I thought he would be. He is better than Pierce was in his rookie year. I'm not sure if any stat backs that up. Just going on the eye test.

[green_bballers13]

Simmons is 4 wins away from joining that list.  Mitchell got awfully close, but the Jazz can't quite hit 50 wins.

How is Simmons four wins from joining that group?  He’s way older than Tatum.

Did you not read the opening post in the thread?

"There are only 4 other rookies that have done this are Kareem, Bird, Robinson, and Duncan."

Simmons is now 3 wins away from joining that list.

What you say is true, but Simmons is a redshirt rookie.  What he has achieved just underlines how talented a player he is but I don't put his achievements on the exact same playing field as Tatum because Simmons had an extra year to get his body ready for the NBA while he sat out his first season.

Tatum's second season in the NBA compared to Simmon's 'rookie' year would be a more fair comparison.  I believe Tatum will turn out to be a great player.  I'm just hoping we can hold onto him even if we make a big trade aka Leonard or Davis.

The NBA should solve the whole "Rookie of the Year" issue. You are a rookie the first year that you collect an NBA paycheck. It stinks if you get hurt. If you come back the next year, you're getting checks for the second year in a row. No longer a rookie. I don't understand why this is an issue.

[KGs Knee]

Tatum is better than I thought he would be. He is better than Pierce was in his rookie year. I'm not sure if any stat backs that up. Just going on the eye test.

IDK about being better than Pierce.  Pierce was really good his rookie year, and it was fairly obvious right from the get go he was going to be a star.

I still feel like Pierce doesn't get quite the recognition he deserves for just how good he was in his prime because he toiled away on some utterly terrible teams.  2004-2008 Pierce was a MVP caliber player.  He could literally do just about anything on the court.

[Boris Badenov]

Tatum is better than I thought he would be. He is better than Pierce was in his rookie year. I'm not sure if any stat backs that up. Just going on the eye test.

IDK about being better than Pierce.  Pierce was really good his rookie year, and it was fairly obvious right from the get go he was going to be a star.

I still feel like Pierce doesn't get quite the recognition he deserves for just how good he was in his prime because he toiled away on some utterly terrible teams.  2004-2008 Pierce was a MVP caliber player.  He could literally do just about anything on the court.

Agreed for the most part although Pierce had three years of college under his belt.

I think Tatum's a better shooter than Pierce was as a rookie, but Pierce was better at almost everything else.

Tatum is great and I'm excited that he has All-Star (and possibly All-NBA) talent, but he's not terribly explosive and Pierce was.

[tazzmaniac]

Simmons is 4 wins away from joining that list.  Mitchell got awfully close, but the Jazz can't quite hit 50 wins.

How is Simmons four wins from joining that group?  He’s way older than Tatum.

Did you not read the opening post in the thread?

"There are only 4 other rookies that have done this are Kareem, Bird, Robinson, and Duncan."

Simmons is now 3 wins away from joining that list.

What you say is true, but Simmons is a redshirt rookie.  What he has achieved just underlines how talented a player he is but I don't put his achievements on the exact same playing field as Tatum because Simmons had an extra year to get his body ready for the NBA while he sat out his first season.

Tatum's second season in the NBA compared to Simmon's 'rookie' year would be a more fair comparison.  I believe Tatum will turn out to be a great player.  I'm just hoping we can hold onto him even if we make a big trade aka Leonard or Davis.

This redshirt argument is weak.  In college football, redshirted players are part of the team.  They spend the season practicing with the team, learning the playbook, etc.  They get coached like other players.  In some cases due to injury, they end up playing and lose their redshirt season. 

Simmons was recovering from foot surgery for most of that redshirt year.  He wasn't part of the team.  The coaches were focused on the season and the active players on the team not on Simmons' development.  Coach Brown didn't start coaching Simmons about the PG role until the offseason.  Playing actual NBA games is much more beneficial than sitting out.