Charles Barkley challenges Jayson Tatum and co to change Celtics’ offense

Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics missed 45 3-pointers in game 1, and Charles Barkley was nonplussed.

Charles Barkley challenges Jayson Tatum and co to change Celtics’ offense

Jayson Tatum struggled to score game-winning shots in Boston Celtics loss (Image via FirstSportz)

One of the complaints that old-timers have had with modern NBA basketball is the trigger-happy nature of offenses on 3-pointers. There’s been a visible uptick in the emphasis on attempting them. The 2024-25 season was the first in which NBA teams took more 3s than regular field goals. This trend can often lead to some ugly offense, as Jayson Tatum and his Celtics teammates found out to their cost in game 1.

The Celtics attempted a whopping 60 3-pointers through 53 minutes of play. Of those, they made just 15 of their distance shots; meaning that they averaged a paltry 25% from range. They had 10 more shot attempts than the Knicks off turnovers and offensive boards, but their 3-pointer-heavy offense and cold shooting rendered this advantage useless. They made just 34 of their 97 field goal attempts.

Charles Barkley took exception to their refusal to change their offensive strategy. In particular, he was peeved by the fact that nearly all of Boston’s fourth-quarter shot attempts were 3-pointers. He spoke his mind on Inside the NBA ahead of game 2, challenging the team to find better looks from within the paint. He also wanted them to attempt more mid-range shots to mix up their looks.

Charles Barkley attempted to divorce his own era’s offensive philosophy from his analysis while making this argument. He argued that a balanced offense would always lead to more unpredictability and keep defenses guessing.

I’m not trying to hold on to my past. I know it’s a 3-point shooting game. But, if you’re not making them, you gotta have a plan B. And that’s my thing. You shoot 20 shots, and 19 of them are 3s. Clearly you’re missing them, you had a 20-point lead that goes down to 0 and you lose the game. I’m not trying to hold on the past, when me and Shaq dominated, but if you’re missing, you should have a plan B.

Charles Barkley stated what went wrong with the Celtics offense in game 1

Jayson Tatum and co haven’t necessarily taken heed to this kind of advice from onlookers. However, while the team attempted over 20 3-pointers in the first half, it took more 2s than 3s. They ended the first half of game 2 with 50 field goal attempts, but only made 19 of them. Having only made five of their 21 3-pointers in this game, their 3-point percentage remains in the doldrums around 25%.

Jayson Tatum needs to step his production up for Boston

Every single NBA contender needs an efficient volume scorer to step his production up during the playoffs. It is virtually impossible to build a true contender without having someone able to generate consistent buckets off specific looks. Jayson Tatum has to be the difference-maker in this regard, both with his playmaking as well as his shot-making.

The 27-year-old’s shot profile in game 1 was quite shocking. He attempted 23 shots and made only 7 of those looks. Most of those shots were 3-pointers, which he stopped making at some point in the third quarter. However, because he had a short hot streak at that point, Tatum felt confident enough to hoist those shots. Some of them came about even though he specifically hunted for switches on to Jalen Brunson, whom he can physically bully and create easier buckets in the paint or in the mid-range.

Not only does Jayson Tatum have to be better from range, the point forward also has to be more decisive. He has to be the bailout option when teams slow their offense down and close out on 3-point shooters. If he doesn’t generate consistent scoring, the Celtics will run into a spot of bother in the playoffs sooner or later.

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