Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) gestures after making a three point shot in the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Jayson Tatum's improved shot mechanics help fuel 40-point night vs. Knicks

By Adam Taylor | Last updated Feb 9, 2025 6:13 PM ET

Jayson Tatum struggled with his shot mechanics during the Boston Celtics' postseason run toward their 2024 championship. A perceived hitch in his release drastically limited his effectiveness when shooting off the dribble. According to NBA Stats, Tatum shot 27.4% on pull-up threes during that run despite attempting 8.7 shots per game.

Fortunately for the Celtics, Tatum worked on improving his off-the-dribble shooting during the offseason. He's averaging 36.7% off the bounce over his first 50 games, with 9.4 attempts per night.

During a recent interview with Yardbarker via "The Celtics Chronicle" YouTube channel, NBA skills trainer Drew Hanlen, who is currently promoting his new book, broke down what he and Tatum worked on to fix his shooting motion during the offseason.

"The first thing that I would say is I'd compliment Jayson," Hanlen said. "You win a championship, you win a gold medal, and the first thing you do is like get back to work ... His shot profile has changed. Like a lot of the reason why Jayson's not a 45% shooter is because he shoots very difficult shots ... We noticed that his pickup point wasn't good. He was circling the ball, which means the pocket got high. When the pocket got high, the ball got flat ... So we know that anytime he goes into slumps, that's what really occurs ... It's not like we're constantly changing the shot. It's that we're trying to get back to what we know works."

Tatum's improved shooting mechanics were on full display during the Celtics 131-104 win over the New York Knicks on Saturday. He dropped 40 points in Madison Square Garden on 13-of-26 shooting. It's fair to assume a significant portion of those shot attempts came off the dribble.

Despite being a three-time All-NBA First-Team selection, Tatum is known for relentlessly working on his game. His friendship with Hanlen, who is also from St. Louis, where Tatum grew up, has been well documented. Nevertheless, Celtics fans will undoubtedly be encouraged by the speed at which Tatum has improved a significant point of weakness.

A 40-point game is always an impressive feat. Doing it against a genuine conference rival in its own home, with the All-Star break fast approaching, is even sweeter.

As we continue to edge toward playoff basketball, Celtics fans will likely be wondering what Tatum will look to improve next. Still, that's a question for a different day, perhaps when Tatum is sporting back-to-back championship rings.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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