While Jayson Tatum has been grappling with turnover issues lately, Joe Mazzulla appears unfazed by this trend. The Boston Celtics secured a 125-119 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night, although the game was closer than desired, especially considering the absence of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey from the Sixers’ lineup. Despite Tatum’s ejection at the end of the third quarter, the Celtics extended their record to an NBA-best 15-4.

Tatum’s performance seemed robust on the surface, contributing 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists with a 6/9 field goal percentage before his ejection. However, a closer examination reveals a notable concern – Tatum turned the ball over a significant seven times in just three quarters of action. This persistent issue of high turnovers has become a trend for Tatum, but head coach Joe Mazzulla doesn’t appear troubled by the star player’s recent struggles.

Via Bobby Manning:

Joe Mazzulla on Tatum’s turnovers: ‘(Playmaking is) something he works on all the time, so I’m not concerned about it.’”

Celtics continue to lean on Jayson Tatum for playmaking despite turnovers

While Jayson Tatum has had an impressive start to the season with the Celtics, he is currently averaging the highest turnovers per game of his career at 3.4. Notably, he has registered at least four turnovers in each of his last three games. Tatum is actively taking on a larger playmaking role as the leader of the offense, but opponents have found success by applying pressure and forcing him into quick decisions.

Although Boston has managed to overcome the challenges posed by Tatum’s turnovers, addressing this issue is imperative for future success. Joe Mazzulla remains optimistic, considering it a temporary setback, and expects Tatum to bounce back as the Celtics face the Indiana Pacers in the In-Season Tournament quarterfinals.