\n<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the classic case of two wrongs making a right.<\/p>\n
Jayson Tatum for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Straight up.<\/p>\n
I know what you\u2019re thinking.<\/p>\n
Well, actually I don\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Because if you\u2019re a Celtics fan, you\u2019d never do this.<\/p>\n
And if you\u2019re a Bucks fan, you\u2019d never do this.<\/p>\n
In that sense, I guess I do know what you\u2019re thinking.<\/p>\n
And in both cases, you\u2019re wrong. You need to reconsider.<\/p>\n
In almost every case, the greatest players in NBA history were winners.<\/p>\n
Celtics fans consider Tatum a great player<\/a>. Same with the Bucks and their beloved Giannis.<\/p>\n And in many ways, they\u2019re right.<\/p>\n But with two titles in a combined 21 NBA seasons, neither qualifies as a winner.<\/p>\n That\u2019s not to say they can\u2019t be. There\u2019s still time.<\/p>\n But a change of scenery — and a situation more tailored to their skills — would help.<\/p>\n In an Eastern Conference that remains wide-open \u2013 but not open enough at this point for the Celtics or Bucks \u2013 here\u2019s why each team should pull the trigger on one of the all-time blockbusters \u2026<\/p>\n What we\u2019ve learned from watching the first third of the season is that the Celtics are at their best when focused on defensive tenacity and transition opportunities.<\/p>\n Tatum does a lot of good things, but he\u2019s more liability than leader in those areas.<\/p>\n Which makes you wonder: Will he attempt to transition into the team’s new style when he returns from his Achilles injury (fat chance of that), or will the Celtics transition back into Tatum Ball?<\/p>\n As we now have gotten an opportunity to see, the Celtics play with much more energy and unselfishness when Jaylen Brown is given the opportunity<\/a> to set the example. Too often, his role as Tatum\u2019s sidekick has been to stand in the corner and watch his teammate put on a 23-second dribbling exhibition that has led to a bunch of bad shots.<\/p>\n Giannis doesn\u2019t play that way.<\/p>\n It starts with his rim-protecting ability that would allow the suddenly younger, more athletic Celtics to smother opponents on the perimeter, like they did when they had Robert Williams stationed in the paint to repair cracks in the defense.<\/p>\n And when it comes to a fast-paced attack, nobody goes end-to-end faster \u2013 and with more crowd-pleasing force \u2013 than the Greek gazelle.<\/p>\n More defense. Faster pace. Allow Brown a chance to spread his wings.<\/p>\n Three strikes and Tatum is out.<\/p>\n Like Tatum, Giannis has his shortcomings. Both are on the offensive end.<\/p>\n First off, he\u2019s a poor perimeter shooter. Yet when things slow down and the Bucks need a hoop from their star, far too often he\u2019s jacked up some of the most ill-advised 3-pointers in NBA history.<\/p>\n Maybe it’s because he’s such an unimaginative ball distributor.<\/p>\n Continual late-game failures led to the Bucks paying a miller\u2019s ransom to bring in Damian Lillard two years ago. The future Hall of Famer made his fair share of clutch shots, but at age 33, then 34, he wasn\u2019t the 20-something version Milwaukee foolishly thought it might be getting.<\/p>\n Lillard is no longer around, and the Bucks are right back where they were three years ago \u2013 with Giannis taking bad shots or, worse yet, Kyle Kuzma taking pretty much any shot.<\/p>\n This team desperately needs a turn-back-the-clock version of Lillard, and that\u2019s exactly what Tatum brings. Heck, he\u2019s even 20-something (27), four years younger than Giannis.<\/p>\n Nobody wants the ball more in clutch situations than Tatum. That\u2019s not always a good thing, but it sure beats putting Giannis in that situation.<\/p>\n The Bucks have some nice pieces, including a collection of surprisingly good 3-point shooters and a defensive force at the rim.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the type of supporting cast that\u2019s made Tatum an MVP candidate in the past. Especially the presence of Myles Turner, who can take on the toughest big-man defensive challenges while Tatum stands next to the rim and collects cheap rebounds.<\/p>\n Better structured half-court offense. Slower pace more suitable to the postseason. An elite passer who draws double teams and creates openings for perimeter shooters who can\u2019t do it themselves.<\/p>\n The name even fits better on a Bucks uniform.<\/p>\n Immediately, the Celtics would become the favorite in the East, with the Bucks quietly re-emerging as a contender pending Tatum\u2019s return to form.<\/p>\nGiannis fits the Celtics better<\/h2>\n
Tatum is the Bucks\u2019 missing link<\/h2>\n