Jayson Tatum didn’t waste any time getting comfortable with Mitchell Robinson.
On Tuesday, after the Boston Celtics wrapped up their final training camp practice in Charleston, South Carolina, Tatum spoke about the early chemistry he’s building with his new frontcourt partner. The fit, at least from his perspective, already looks promising.
"It's been good. I love big Mitch," voiced Tatum, via CLNS Media, smiling as he noted the seven-foot center's comedic chops. "His size and his instincts on the defensive end, and obviously being a lob threat, and how great of a defender and rebounder he is."
That kind of profile has long played well next to Tatum. Boston’s best versions with him on the floor have often come when he’s paired with a big who can screen, finish, and make life easier around the rim.
Last season, Tatum and Neemias Queta posted a +15 together, per databallr. The year before, he and Luke Kornet were a +16.5 in shared minutes.
During the Celtics’ title run, Tatum and Al Horford logged a +13.4, and he and Kristaps Porzingis were a +9.7.
Robinson brings a different flavor, but the same basic value: size, athleticism, and force. The former New York Knicks center is known for his physical presence, but the details matter too.
His basketball IQ and work ethic are part of what makes him so effective, especially when it comes to reading teammates’ misses and positioning himself for the ball. That’s a big reason he has become the best offensive rebounder in the NBA since entering the league.
Among players with at least 5,000 career minutes, Robinson is tied with Dennis Rodman for the second-highest career offensive rebounding rate, per ESPN's Zach Kram.
That kind of extra possession is a huge deal for a Celtics team built to launch from deep. Robinson’s ability to create second chances only adds fuel to Boston’s three-point attack, and the math is simple enough: when a team takes more threes, the path to winning gets a lot clearer.
He also does the dirty work that opens everything up. Robinson is a punishing screener, and those road-grading picks can help Tatum step into cleaner looks from long range.
They can also create the kind of switches Tatum loves to attack. The four-time All-NBA First Team selection is at his best when a center ends up on him.
There’s another layer here, too. With Robinson on the floor, Tatum now has a seven-foot lob threat who can finish above the rim.
That changes the geometry of the possession. It gives Boston another way to pressure defenses, whether Tatum is operating out of the pick-and-roll or going to work in isolation.
Tatum built chemistry quickly with Queta last season, and the early signs suggest the same process is underway with Robinson. For Boston, that matters.
Having its best player paired with a center who can rebound, screen, and dive to the basket is a clean way to squeeze the most out of the lineup. In this new setup, Robinson looks like another frontcourt partner with real upside next to Tatum.
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Tatum pointed to Robinson's defensive skills, his work on the glass and the broader impact he can have on the group, which fits neatly with what Boston has wanted from its big men. Robinson has built his name as one of the league's better offensive rebounders, and the Celtics will be counting on that edge to show up every night, especially once the games start to tighten and the margin for error gets smaller. [Read more 🡒]
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Georges push to find his way back to All-Star form is one of the biggest things worth watching, but it is hardly the only one. The center spot also has a real battle brewing between Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta, while Payton Pritchard may be in line for a bigger role if the Celtics decide to lean more on his game. Those preseason minutes should offer the first real clues about how Boston plans to sort it all out. [Read more 🡒]