Celtics’ Jayson Tatum is giving defenses more than his scoring to worry about

Jayson Tatum scored 34 points in three quarters Friday. The Hornets probably would have preferred that he stick to shooting.

He also handed out nine assists, giving the Celtics the kind of offensive direction that matters well beyond a blowout against a struggling opponent.

As John Karalis of Celtics On SI observed⁠, Tatum’s reads were particularly sharp during Boston’s 119-80 win. He manipulated defenders with his eyes, found teammates and consistently made the right decisions.

“Tatum has never read the game with the ease with which he’s reading things now,” Karalis wrote.

That’s the more interesting development for the Celtics. They already know Tatum can score. The more effectively he recognizes what a defense is conceding, the harder it becomes to load up on him without paying somewhere else.

Of course, making shots helps, too. Tatum went 5-of-8 from three after entering the game in an early-season shooting slump.

Derrick White and Payton Pritchard also improved their percentages during the rout. All three had been shooting 31% or worse from deep.

Boston won’t get this much cooperation from every opponent. Charlotte struggled to make open shots, and Brandon Miller exited in the second quarter with groin soreness.

Karalis also noted a brief drop in the Celtics’ intensity after halftime that a better opponent might have punished.

Still, Boston kept control, improved to 2-0 in NBA Cup play and let Tatum sit out the fourth quarter after adding eight rebounds to his scoring and passing totals.

The shooting will fluctuate. Tatum’s ability to recognize the right play gives the Celtics something more dependable to build around.

MORE HOOPS | Available NBA free agents by position⁠