Jayson Tatum's defense on Kevin Durant has been a major talking point in the Boston Celtics-Brooklyn Nets playoffs series so far. KD is struggling offensively, and that is thanks in large part to Tatum.
The 24-year-old Tatum has absolutely locked down Durant in Games 1 and 2, and proof of that is his multiple blocks on the Nets star. It's rare to see anyone block KD's jump shots given his combination of length and speed, but the Celtics forward has done it not just once but multiple times in their series.
Incredible Jayson Tatum block of a Kevin Durant mid-range jumper — something we seldom see. In the previous defensive possession, Tatum was also involved in stripping Kyrie Irving and forcing a turnover. Amazing work, even as he’s been subpar on offense. pic.twitter.com/lGwfd9mBpO
— Positive Residual (@presidual) April 21, 2022
When asked about how he did it, though, Jayson Tatum played it down and said he might just be lucky.
“I don't know. Maybe I'm getting lucky with a couple of those blocks,” Tatum said, per Jay King of The Athletic.
Sure enough, luck may have played a role in that. However, you don't get to block an offensive player of Kevin Durant's caliber with just luck alone. More than just being a scorer, Tatum has certainly improved greatly as a defender–which might be overlooked given how great Boston's defense has been.
Durant went scoreless in the second half of Game 2, allowing the Celtics to erase a 10-point first half deficit and win 114-107. The Nets star went 4-of-17 from the field in the contest, and while Tatum didn't do it alone, he deserves a ton of credit.
As the series shifts to Brooklyn, Celtics fans are certainly hoping Tatum can keep the same defensive intensity against one of the best scorers of this generation.
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