The NBA has introduced plenty of game-changing statistics with the introduction of advanced analytics in the past few seasons. Yet this particular set of stats are as simple as the eye can see: Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has greatly improved after getting his long sideburns to connect with his chin patch.
Tatum was averaging 21.5 points per game and shooting 43.5% from the field in his first half of the season (42 games), connecting on 36.6% from deep and sporting a 54.1% true shooting percentage. Those numbers have boomed in the past 11 games after he connected his beard, now averaging 30.5 points per game, shooting 51.4% from the field and 50% from deep while boasting an outstanding 65.7% true shooting percentage:
Since his beard fully connected, Jayson Tatum has been playing out of his mind. pic.twitter.com/vFghGXThGv
— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 27, 2020
Tatum has six 30-point games in February, a lot of which coincide with the absence of Celtics point guard Kemba Walker, who has struggled to remain on the court this month.
The 21-year-old had a full-on chinstrap last season, one he groomed regularly. Yet after letting his inner caveman come through, he has scored in bunches like others who have opted for the bearded look.
Take for example the baby-faced Kyrie Irving and Stephen Curry, who exploded into offensive juggernauts after growing some facial hair. Even others like Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Anthony Davis have embraced the bearded look in the past few years, booming into undeniable stars in the NBA.
While there's no known correlation between embracing the beard and putting up big-time numbers, Jayson Tatum will likely want to keep his beard in true playoff hockey fashion if it means he'll be on this type of tear the rest of the season, staking his claim as one of the very best players in the Eastern Conference as the Celtics continue to rack up victories.
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