Dr. J likes Jayson Tatum's game as Markelle Fultz sits

https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/dr-likes-jayson-tatums-game-markelle-fultz-sits/story?id=54913578&yptr=yahoo




Dr. J likes Jayson Tatum's game as Markelle Fultz sits



By ESPN.COM NEWS SERVICES via ESPN May 3, 2018, 2:01 PM ET


Philadelphia 76ers legend Julius Erving thinks Boston Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum looks more like a top pick in the draft than the Sixers' Markelle Fultz.?

Tatum had 28 points in Boston's 117-101 victory in Game 1 of the team's Eastern Conference semifinal, while Fultz did not play due to coach's decision.

"Tatum probably should have been the first pick in the draft," Dr. J said on ESPN's Get Up! Thursday morning. "He was there. I guess it was all about the fit. We took Fultz. Philly took Fultz. Obviously his rookie year, I think he'll be a rookie again next year, sort of like (Ben) Simmons, because of all the injuries."

Tatum and Fultz will likely always be linked. The Sixers traded the third pick in the 2017 draft and another future first-rounder to the Celtics for the No. 1 overall pick. Philly selected the 19-year-old Fultz, who played one year at Washington. Boston took the 20-year-old Tatum, who had played one year at Duke.

A shoulder injury limited Fultz to 14 games and contributed to concerns about his shooting form. He averaged 7.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists this season. He played three games in the first round against Miami and scored five total points.

76ers coach Brett Brown sidelined him for the last two games of that series and the first one against the Celtics, saying that he was going with the team that got them to the playoffs.?

Tatum, on the other hand, played in 80 games in the regular season, averaging 13.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. In eight games during the playoffs, he's averaging 17 points and 5,0 rebounds per game.

"Tatum has been awesome," Erving said. "When you get a player who can raise the level of his game come playoff time, then you've got somebody special because usually after college it's tough to make it to the next level. That's why only a handful of players really make it to the next level."

The Celtics had to overcome the loss of big free-agent signing Gordon Hayward in the first game of the season. Tatum stepped into the void. But when star Kyrie Irving went down before the playoffs, high hopes looked dashed. But Tatum -- along with guard Terry Rozier -- have stepped up. They even beat the Sixers with guard Jaylen Brown and his double-digit scoring sidelined with injury.

"I like Tatum. I like his game. I like what he brings to the table," Erving said. "The fact that they've lost players behind Al Horford and his effort, everyone is saying we can still win. That's why it's a great matchup right now."

Tatum is in the mix for Rookie of the Year, but another Sixer, Ben Simmons, has the inside track, with Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell coming on strong. Dr. J. seems to endorse Simmons whose official rookie season last year was wiped out by injury.

"I just love watching Simmons play," he said. "He's a special player. There's no question about that. I think he'll get a chance to prove it more so as the playoffs go on."


bob


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https://www.yahoo.com/sports/markelle-fultz-dr-js-jayson-tatum-dig-proved-no-1-pick-144457147.html




Markelle Fultz on Dr. J's Jayson Tatum dig: 'I proved why I should be the No. 1 pick'




Yahoo Sports  Ben Rohrbach,Yahoo Sports 8 hours ago



Markelle Fultz and Jayson Tatum will forever be linked. (AP)


Philadelphia 76ers legend Julius “Dr. J” Erving told ESPN on Thursday that budding Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum “probably should have been the first pick in the draft” over Sixers rookie Markelle Fultz, which didn’t seem like the biggest confidence boost for a player already shaky in that department.

So, Philadelphia Inquirer beat reporter Keith Pompey took that news to Fultz, who had this to say:


Keith Pompey

@PompeyOnSixers
.@MarkelleF to @phillysport on Dr.J saying #Celtics' Jayson Tatum probably should have been No.1 pick: " I proved why I should be the No.1 pick in college and they drafted me as the No. 1 pick. Now, I'm here. All I can do is improve and keep moving from here. That's all it is."

6:02 PM - May 3, 2018

Keith Pompey

@PompeyOnSixers
.@MarkelleF  said he's "never" going to let Erving's comments get to him. "It's motivates me if anything," Fultz said.

6:10 PM - May 3, 2018


Again:

“I proved why I should be the No. 1 pick in college and they drafted me as the No. 1 pick,” Fultz told Pompey. “Now, I’m here. All I can do is improve and keep moving from here. That’s all it is. … It motivates me if anything.”


That’s not, like, the strongest statement I’ve ever heard from an NBA player, but it’s good to hear he’ll use this quote from Dr. J — a former special advisor to the 76ers’ ownership group — as fuel for his fire:

“Tatum probably should have been the first pick in the draft. He was there. I guess there was just, it was all about the fit. And we took Fultz, Philly took Fultz, and obviously Fultz’s whole rookie year — I think he’ll be a rookie again next year sorta like Simmons because of the injuries. But Tatum has been awesome, it just seems as though when you get a player who can raise the level of their game at playoff time, you’ve got somebody special.”

That, of course, came before Tatum scored a team-high 21 points as Boston erased a 22-point deficit to take a 2-0 series lead against Philadelphia, all while Fultz picked up his fourth straight playoff DNP.

Making matters worse for Fultz and Philly is the fact that they traded up into the No. 1 spot to take Fultz, sending the No. 3 pick and a future lottery pick back to the Celtics, who selected Tatum third. And, man, could the 76ers use a lengthy wing who can create for himself, shoot and play defense.

There is hope yet for Fultz, and we saw it with his triple-double against the Milwaukee Bucks in the regular-season finale. But that was one of few highlights for Fultz in a season marred by questions about whether his broken jump shot is the result of the shoulder soreness that altered his shooting mechanics after the draft or a mental block in the months since the soreness was “completely gone.”

Maybe just don’t invite Dr. J in for any motivational speeches.


bob
MY NOTE:  The Celtics have a tradition of bringing rookies off the bench, #3 pick Kevin McHale comes to mind, but at least they get off the bench.  The Sixers have played 7 playoff games this year so far.  Fultz has played in only 3 of them for a total of 23 minutes.  That's barely more than half the minutes Tatum played in his first NBA playoff game, the OT one vs Milwaukee where he played 44 minutes. Another #1 pick with confidence problems? The poster boy of draft pick busts Anthony Bennett. He's playing for the Maine Red Claws now.


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I am willing to grant Fultz another year.

He would be better served if they had a better coach.

They need to play him in this series because Simmons has no outside shot.  Give me a broken jumper over no jumper. Lol

Also I do not think it helps for Dr J to say that Philly should have drafted Tatum. Even though that is a true statement.

Encouragement breeds confidence.  That is one reason why a young player like Rozier is able to be productive.  As a matter of fact Brad Stevens, Danny and the entire organization is very supportive of their players.

dboss wrote:I am willing to grant Fultz another year.

He would be better served if they had a better coach.

They need to play him in this series because Simmons has no outside shot.  Give me a broken jumper over no jumper. Lol

Fultz also has no jumper right now