During one sequence, after Tatum was already rolling, former Celtics assistant coach Jerome Allen screamed at his Detroit players to send multiple bodies towards Tatum as he dribbled in front of the Pistons bench. Detroit’s defense was slow to react and Tatum rose up for a 3-pointer as a defeated Allen plopped back into his chair.
Entering Saturday’s game, Tatum was shooting a career-best 79 percent on all shots near the rim. That’s up a staggering 11 percent from last year. Tatum’s gotten more creative around the basket, grinding through contact, finishing with his left hand, and displaying a more useful floater. He’s also been far more aggressive and getting to the free throw line with more regularity.
What’s more, Boston’s true shooting percentage of 61.7 would also be an NBA record. Only the 2020-21 Nets and the 2017-18 Warriors have finished north of 60.