Jayson Tatum and Joe Mazzulla (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Lately, there has been much discussion about the best player on the Boston Celtics squad. Being tired of hearing it, their head coach, Joe Mazzulla, praised the whole team following their Game 2 win. However, he gave some brownie points to one of his players, Jayson Tatum.

During the post-game press conference, Mazzulla said, “Jayson makes greatness look easy. He does it many different ways: he does it on defense, he does it in rebounding, he does it in passing, and he does it on screens. He’s a tremendous player; he has the ability to affect the game in different ways.”

Jayson Tatum chipped in 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 12 assists in the Celtics’ 105-98 victory on Sunday. Though the forward’s numbers weren’t massive, he had a greater effect on the game, as acknowledged by Mazzulla.

Though the Cs displayed comparatively better shooting skills, Tatum had difficulty hitting his shots on target. Out of the 22 attempts he made from the floor, only 6 went into the bucket, while he could only shoot a three after trying 7 shots from behind the 3-point arc.

On failing to showcase his offensive masterclass, the 5-time All-Star has clarified how he currently aims to impact the team.

Jayson Tatum Discusses His Goal Despite Scoring Issues

Jayson Tatum is popular for his scoring abilities. However, his playoff scores haven’t been impressive, especially against the Mavs (17 PPG). When the 26-year-old came under scrutiny for his role, he mentioned that his focus has shifted to different areas of the game where he can make important contributions.

After distributing 12 assists in Game 2, Tatum stated, “But my focus right now is how can I dominate the game in other ways? My defense, my passing, my rebounding. That’s what I’m focused on.”

Though he struggled with his shooting throughout the game, Tatum’s involvement in playmaking was effective, which created opportunities for his teammates to score buckets. The 2-0 lead gave the Celtics an upper hand over the Mavs, which would be hard for the latter to flip.