Jayson Tatum’s 3-point taking pictures fell off a cliff towards the top of the 2023-24 season. The three-time All-NBA First Group ahead took a complete of 175 3-point pictures between the beginning of April and the top of the postseason in June. He averaged 28.7% throughout that timeframe.
At Media Day, the NBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist confirmed that he’s been working to repair his bounce shot.
“Been working with my coach Drew (Hanlen) so much, just lately in the previous few weeks,” Tatum mentioned. “Decide-up factors, hand placement, getting decrease, maintaining my shoulders ahead and issues like that…There have been some issues I may have fastened, however within the midst of the playoffs, making an attempt to handle you relaxation, it’s a bit harder. I used to be nonetheless taking part in effectively. I simply wasn’t taking pictures the ball in addition to I’d have favored. And clearly, we have been profitable. So it wasn’t the time or the place to attempt to sort things in that second.”
Tatum’s notice about engaged on his shoulder positioning is fascinating. Final season, Donte DiVincenzo was among the many breakout three-point shooters within the NBA. He had joined the New York Knicks after spending a 12 months with Steph Curry on the Golden State Warriors.
During an interview with The Athletic’s Fred Katz, DiVincenzo, who shot 40.1% from deep for the season, credited a lesson he realized from watching Curry up shut throughout his time within the Bay Space.
“I used to assume ft squared, shoulders squared, launch and all the pieces needed to be aligned and all the pieces,” DiVincenzo mentioned. “And I get he’s nearly an anomaly. However what’s a lot totally different is so long as his shoulders are good, he doesn’t care about anything.”
Tatum is a profession 37.5% shooter from 3-point vary. He has had some massive moments on the perimeter. For no matter purpose, his shot deserted him through the Celtics stretch run. Nevertheless, if he can decide up some nuggets of knowledge from Hanlen, he may very well be able to have a bounce-back season by way of taking pictures the ball.
“Total, I can nonetheless get higher,” Tatum mentioned in an interview with NBC Sports activities Boston. “You haven’t seen the most effective model of Jayson Tatum. And also you shouldn’t. I’m solely 26. I ought to proceed to maintain getting higher.”
It’s unlikely that Tatum has utterly overhauled his taking pictures mechanics. As a substitute, he’s doubtless carried out refined tweaks to enhance his total taking pictures movement and vitality distribution. Nevertheless, if he’s specializing in his shoulder alignment and has been watching movie of his personal mechanics and others across the league, he could also be able to have a giant 12 months on the perimeter.
Nonetheless, it’s value remembering that Tatum is greater than only a shooter. He’s arguably one of the crucial full gamers on this planet proper now. His being a dependable perimeter menace is vital, there’s little doubt about it, but it surely isn’t the one manner he can have an effect on a recreation. Nonetheless, if he can convey himself nearer to being a 40% shooter, the Celtics are going to be extremely powerful to beat within the coming years.
