It's now or never for Jayson Tatum to silence his critics

Despite winning a championship last season, Jayson Tatum endured a difficult summer. The media is consistently questioning his play style for what is perceived to be a lack of toughness. The narrative is simple: Tatum takes the easy route when facing a physical defense, which limits his ability to take over games. 

The problem with this narrative is that Tatum consistently leads the Celtics in all major statistical categories. He's also led the team to five Conference Finals appearances and two NBA Finals appearances. Furthermore, he also scored 51 points in a Game 7 win-or-go-home situation on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023.

Yet, whenever the Celtics underperform, it's Tatum who is front and center in the firing line. Boston has lost its opening two Eastern Conference semifinals games to the New York Knicks over the past week. Tatum, who is dealing with a hairline fracture in his wrist, has struggled, like the rest of the team. 

As you would expect, Tatum's struggles have added gasoline to the fire that rages within the stomachs of his critics. 

“Ability without aggression,” Colin Cowherd said via is "The Herd" podcast. “He wanted closers. You can’t play for Boston in clutch moments, you’re not going to play for the country. This is what Steve Kerr saw. Two of his last three shots were fall-aways. I think at his core he has to be convinced to be aggressive.”