2017 ACC Tournament: Jayson Tatum shows off top five potential in win over Clemson

Duke defeated Clemson in the 2017 ACC Tournament thanks to a superb outing from future pro Jayson Tatum.

Freshman Jayson Tatum didn’t make his college basketball debut until December and it took him nearly a month and change to finally adjust to playing with other stars in Luke Kennard and Grayson Allen. However, if it wasn’t already obvious based on his play to close out the regular season, Tatum has finally hit his stride with just a week to go until the start of the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

The freshman forward showed his top five potential on Wednesday afternoon against the Clemson Tigers as he helped guide Duke to a 79-72 victory in the second round of the ACC Tournament at the Barclays Center. He showed off all the tools in his arsenal, scoring 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting, grabbing nine rebounds, dishing out four assists and turning the ball over just twice.

He has learned how to play within the confines of Duke’s offense and how to balance getting his own shot and making plays for his teammates. But most importantly, he gives Duke another dimension as a small ball four and another offensive weapon who can attack off the bounce.

https://twitter.com/TBNMedia/status/839581755413786633

I couldn't love this kid anymore if I tried. @jaytatum0 is SPECIAL!! #Duke pic.twitter.com/GKQpZI36nN
— Eazy-E (@eric_d_veal) March 8, 2017

Those are NBA moves and that attacking mentality is only going to open up the floor for Allen, Kennard and the emerging Frank Jackson. Allen struggled on Wednesday (he had zero points and picked up his third foul on a technical foul in the first half), but Kennard scored 20 after shooting 7-of-11 in the second half and Jackson was terrific, adding 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting.

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Duke has the most talented team in the country and with everyone finding their best form at the right time, this team is scary offensively.

However, there still are legitimate concerns with Coach K’s roster.

First, their defense is still a major issue. Duke led Clemson by 13 late in the second before they let the Tigers get back into the game. They surprisingly almost coughed up the lead as Clemson was within one with 2:51 left in the game. They also let Shelton Mitchell (17 points on 5-of-10) consistently get into the lane.

Secondly, their offense can get bogged down at times due to the fact that they don’t have a true point guard. Jackson has obviously played terrific basketball over the last few weeks, but he isn’t a pass-first player who is a veteran at the college level. Instead, Duke needs him to score to be successful.

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Regardless of their issues, Duke is moving onto the quarterfinals to face off against Louisville. If they can get as much momentum and confidence as possible from this tournament and Tatum continues to play like a lottery pick, the Blue Devils could be making another long run in March.