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 sport for Tatum and over 17 per sport for Brown.

Drive them loopy

To place this into perspective, solely 4 gamers within the NBA final season averaged greater than 17 drives per sport: 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 usually all through the common season. Nonetheless, what if as a substitute of 9 or so drives per sport, they drove 14 or 15 occasions? This skill to drive ceaselessly would open up alternatives for each of them, however much more for the remainder of the staff.

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

Their general 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 proportion (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 sport (+265%).

Jaylen Brown confirmed the same development. He elevated his variety of drives, passes on drives, and assists from drives. Their skill to ramp up their driving when it mattered most bodes effectively for the longer term.

Why it issues when it issues

For the final two years, I’ve been involved concerning the Celtics’ skill to get within the paint. So involved, in actual fact, 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 sport. Why weren’t they driving extra? Perhaps as a result of they didn’t have to 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 energy 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 sport.

This technique unlocked success for the Celtics. With Tatum driving 19.2 occasions per sport 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 weak and compelled to make fast choices. These drives didn’t all the time end in layups or dunks, however they persistently pressured the protection to break down and recuperate, producing the absolute 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 staff: “Don’t attempt to hit a house run on the primary drive, or the second, or the third—take one of the best shot doable.” This circles again to the central concept: you don’t drive to attain instantly; you drive to create one of the best 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 finally creating one of the best shot doable.

Can they do it once more subsequent yr?

It’s unlikely they’ll drive as a lot as they did through the NBA Finals. Nonetheless, with Kristaps Porziņģis sidelined for some time, they might 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 response to 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 should take the lead.

I consider 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 have to leverage their energy and playmaking progress to generate high-quality pictures for themselves and the staff. Nonetheless, now that opponents are conscious of the Celtics’ skill to generate drives, how will they adapt? Can Jayson and Jaylen drive at a excessive quantity in opposition to any staff and each defensive scheme?

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