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Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazulla made a hilarious remark when asked how the team could limit superstar Jayson Tatum's minutes. The former Duke prospect played 47 minutes for the Celtics during their 125-121 OT win over the LA Lakers on Saturday.
Tatum played around six minutes in the first half. After returning to the game, he was never subbed out again, playing every minute through overtime. The Celtics have had to rely on him to help them secure wins, especially after their three-game skid prior to the win over LA. Here's what Mazulla said about limiting Tatum's minutes before the game (via Jay King):
"Don’t let the games go to overtime."
Tatum ranks second in the league in minutes per game, averaging a career-high 37.5 MPG. The MVP candidate has powered the Celtics to a league-best 36-15 record, bagging a career-high 31.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists, shooting 46.5% from the field.
The Boston Celtics star has played over 40 minutes in five of his past six games. That includes three overtime games against the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and LA Lakers. Boston lacks depth in the wing position behind Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
They need either of the two to play at all times to overcome the issue. The injury to offseason addition Danilo Gallinari contributed to that.
Boston Celtics need to be careful with Jayson Tatum's minutes
The Boston Celtics must limit Jayson Tatum's minutes moving forward. The team has been over-reliant on him, which isn't necessarily the key to success in the long run. Every team needs their best player in peak condition come playoff time. The game's pace and physicality have picked up.
The Celtics rely on playing physically. These factors don't support their reliance on Tatum. Boston looks likely to achieve a homecourt seeding entering the postseason with a 35-15 record at this stage. They can afford to manage Tatum's workload better.
Many teams around the league have been preserving their best players efficiently while sustaining their results. The Celtics need to replicate that, too, in order to push for a title run.
The role players need to step up throughout the rest of the season and award their stars with room to take the occasional rest. The team at full strength can be unbeatable on their day. If Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are in the best shape, the Celtics have a higher ceiling than probably any other team this year.
Guess the Lakers players!
