Joe Mazzulla on how he, staff set up Jayson Tatum for success with Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla spoke about how he and his coaching staff have set up star forward Jayson Tatum for success. In Mazzulla's words, "maybe more than at any point previously in his NBA career, Jayson Tatum is the fulcrum that moves the team's offense." He emphasized that the team's primary goal is to have the ball in Tatum's hands, where he is likely to make plays for himself and his teammates.

Mazzulla reiterated this sentiment, saying, "And he's been one of the best at it in his career." The coach reiterated that his players expect him to make the right play whenever he has the ball, and he has done so consistently. Mazzulla explained that his coaching staff works diligently to ensure that Tatum has the best opportunities to impact the game.

He noted that the approach differs based on the stage of the game, as different late-game scenarios present unique information. Mazzulla cited an example from a recent game against the Brooklyn Nets, where Tatum made a decision that could easily have been made by another player if the defense had played differently. Mazzulla emphasized that coaching Tatum involves teaching him various "if-then" scenarios and train him to make the best decisions possible under pressure.