Tatum outplayed Giannis in 4/7 games

[Kawhi_Why_Not]

If you out-play someone the majority of the games (at least 4) then I would say you won the duel. So in this case, Tatum outplayed Giannis.

Game 2: Tatum 29 points 65% TS and 11 BPM VS Giannis 28 points on 45% TS

Tatum clearly outplayed Giannis here as Giannis was awful

Game 4: Tatum had 10 points in 4th quarter taking over and winning. 28 on 56% TS a 10% higher TS over Giannis 46% TS

Game 6: Tatum had 46 points on 66% TS and hit huge clutch shots. This one also edge to Tatum

Game 7: Tatum had a great passing game and set up grant Williams for a lot of his shots. Giannis had a great 1st quarter but was terrible after that with more shots then points at 25 points on 26 shots. Tatum had two less points on 12 less shots so just a way more efficient + better passing game then Giannis

[post]

[ImKobe]

It's a solid case. I still think Giannis outplayed him by a huge margin in the 3 other games, so Giannis gets the nod for the series overall, considering he played without his #2 option and completely dominated Tatum defensively whenever JT tried to attack the paint. Game 6 is really close and Game 7 is a wash as Giannis got next to no help from his teammates while JT only had 6 pts on 6 shots in the 2nd half and his teammates dominated.

Tatum is getting the 2021 Booker treatment. People are all of a sudden acting like he's a top 5 guy because he's playing on the best team, when it's been a complete team effort and he hasn't had to show up in every win for them to advance the Playoffs, and hasn't been the most valuable player on the defensive side on the court. I was leaning towards JT having a top 5 case after the 1st round, but I'm not completely sold on him as the guy who could consistently carry his team. His skillset doesn't really match a top 5 guy. I feel like there's more than 5 players who could win in his place in Boston with how solid that team is overall. None of the advanced metrics point to him being a top 5 player in these POs. Horford leads the team in WS, BPM and is tied in VORP despite playing 52 less minutes. Jaylen Brown is right there statistically as well.

I think the Bucks' style of defense was almost perfect for his game, as they were willing to give up the open 3 and he feasted on those shots to his credit. Game 7 was the perfect example of why the Celtics beat the Bucks. It wasn't because JT was as good or that he outplayed Giannis when it mattered, it's just that he had far more help and could take off possessions while Giannis was the Bucks' entire offense and also had to carry their defense, and had nothing left in the tank as he was blowing layups that he made with ease in the 3 previous games and his team shot 1/14 from 3 in the 2nd half while the Celtics' role players carried the 2nd half of that game.

[Axe]

Both > kawhit

[Pointguard]

It's a solid case. I still think Giannis outplayed him by a huge margin in the 3 other games, so Giannis gets the nod for the series overall, considering he played without his #2 option and completely dominated Tatum defensively whenever JT tried to attack the paint. Game 6 is really close and Game 7 is a wash as Giannis got next to no help from his teammates while JT only had 6 pts on 6 shots in the 2nd half and his teammates dominated.

Tatum is getting the 2021 Booker treatment. People are all of a sudden acting like he's a top 5 guy because he's playing on the best team, when it's been a complete team effort and he hasn't had to show up in every win for them to advance the Playoffs, and hasn't been the most valuable player on the defensive side on the court. I was leaning towards JT having a top 5 case after the 1st round, but I'm not completely sold on him as the guy who could consistently carry his team. His skillset doesn't really match a top 5 guy. I feel like there's more than 5 players who could win in his place in Boston with how solid that team is overall. None of the advanced metrics point to him being a top 5 player in these POs. Horford leads the team in WS, BPM and is tied in VORP despite playing 52 less minutes. Jaylen Brown is right there statistically as well.

I think the Bucks' style of defense was almost perfect for his game, as they were willing to give up the open 3 and he feasted on those shots to his credit. Game 7 was the perfect example of why the Celtics beat the Bucks. It wasn't because JT was as good or that he outplayed Giannis when it mattered, it's just that he had far more help and could take off possessions while Giannis was the Bucks' entire offense and also had to carry their defense, and had nothing left in the tank as he was blowing layups that he made with ease in the 3 previous games and his team shot 1/14 from 3 in the 2nd half while the Celtics' role players carried the 2nd half of that game.

Solid Post!!!

[ZionDunks]

I wouldn’t call a lot of his threes open. A lot were contested

[Kblaze8855]

Jaylen Brown came out of the series with this to say….

“Giannis is the best player in the world. You can see why a lot of people say that,” Celtics guard Jaylen Brown said. “He’s just relentless in his approach. He is aggressive all the time. He’s not going to be denied. And that was tough for us in the series.”

For whatever that’s worth

[Kawhi_Why_Not]

It's a solid case. I still think Giannis outplayed him by a huge margin in the 3 other games, so Giannis gets the nod for the series overall, considering he played without his #2 option and completely dominated Tatum defensively whenever JT tried to attack the paint. Game 6 is really close and Game 7 is a wash as Giannis got next to no help from his teammates while JT only had 6 pts on 6 shots in the 2nd half and his teammates dominated.

Tatum is getting the 2021 Booker treatment. People are all of a sudden acting like he's a top 5 guy because he's playing on the best team, when it's been a complete team effort and he hasn't had to show up in every win for them to advance the Playoffs, and hasn't been the most valuable player on the defensive side on the court. I was leaning towards JT having a top 5 case after the 1st round, but I'm not completely sold on him as the guy who could consistently carry his team. His skillset doesn't really match a top 5 guy. I feel like there's more than 5 players who could win in his place in Boston with how solid that team is overall. None of the advanced metrics point to him being a top 5 player in these POs. Horford leads the team in WS, BPM and is tied in VORP despite playing 52 less minutes. Jaylen Brown is right there statistically as well.

I think the Bucks' style of defense was almost perfect for his game, as they were willing to give up the open 3 and he feasted on those shots to his credit. Game 7 was the perfect example of why the Celtics beat the Bucks. It wasn't because JT was as good or that he outplayed Giannis when it mattered, it's just that he had far more help and could take off possessions while Giannis was the Bucks' entire offense and also had to carry their defense, and had nothing left in the tank as he was blowing layups that he made with ease in the 3 previous games and his team shot 1/14 from 3 in the 2nd half while the Celtics' role players carried the 2nd half of that game.

if you watch 2nd half of game 7 though, tatum was playing point guard. Bucks were also cramming the paint and Tatum was finding Grant and others for wide open threes.

Tatum is playing with more of a flow and chemistry with his teammates. While Giannis just seems to be out there playing by himself. This is a credit to Tatum though as he put his role players more to use.

[Kawhi_Why_Not]

Jaylen Brown came out of the series with this to say….






For whatever that’s worth

Tatum was drafted later and is younger, so he probably feels like a younger brother to Jaylen.

And just showing respect to Giannis and the opponent.

So i wouldn't take much from the quote in terms of comparing tatum and giannis these playoffs.

By the look of things, you would actually think Giannis is much better on defense because he's tall ripped more intimidating and has the DPOTY award. But i actually feel Tatum's defense has been much more impactful these playoffs and the entire season. So that's one thing i have working for Tatum in his favor as well. Also Tatum is obviously a way better floor spacer with his 3 point shooting. So the only major advantage i see for Giannis is rebounds.

Tatum just has bad luck in his era because he happens to be playing in the same league as prime Lebron\Kawhi\Durant. Competing with 3 GOAT SF's.

So i think that's why he was a 3rd team in this era. Tatum was clearly all defense level in 2020 but kawhi got it instead. I do think the media should and will finally wake up and give Tatum his 1st team all nba and 1st team all defense this season though.

[WhiteKyrie]

He outplayed KD and Giannis in back to back series.

[plowking]

He outplayed KD and Giannis in back to back series.

Giannis was quite comfortably the best player in that series. Not even a discussion.

[WhiteKyrie]

Giannis was quite comfortably the best player in that series. Not even a discussion.

Not in those decisive games. Boston apart from some possessions here and there could’ve ended the series earlier

[Kawhi_Why_Not]

He outplayed KD and Giannis in back to back series.

Agreed. He humiliated Durant and then slightly outplayed Giannis.

Giannis was quite comfortably the best player in that series. Not even a discussion.

Giannis averaged about 48% TS in the 4 losses, he wasn't comfortably doing shit.

[ImKobe]

Not in those decisive games. Boston apart from some possessions here and there could’ve ended the series earlier

Every game is decisive. Tatum might have outplayed Giannis by a slim margin in 4 out of 7 games but Giannis also outplayed Tatum when JT only had 10 pts on 19 shots in a 2-point loss while Giannis had to put up 42/12/8 in a very close win. If Giannis went for 10 pts on 21% shooting and got outplayed like that, there's no chance the Bucks would have even had a shot at winning the game. Some here said that Giannis was bad or not good enough in Game 7 with a 25/20/9 stat line, there's no way anyone would say that if Tatum put up those numbers. OP himself ITT said that JT outplayed Giannis with 23/6/8 7 TOs vs 25/20/9 6 TOs because of the FG%, despite Tatum being a non-factor as a scorer in the 2nd half with Grant Williams and Pritchard scoring most of the points to put the game away.

[Full Court]

I'm not willing to go so far as to say Tatum outplayed Giannis. You can argue he did in a couple games, but like ImKobe, I saw Giannis as the best player on the floor for the series as a whole.

That said, Tatum stepped up huge when it mattered. His stock has gone up a lot this post season.