Is Jayson Tatum playing tonight against Atlanta Hawks? Latest on 4x All-Star's availability

Jayson Tatum is expected to play in the Boston Celtics' game against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, November 26. The St. Louis native is not listed on the team's injury report, and will likely be tasked with leading Boston's offense against a Hawks team that sits 25th in the NBA for defensive rating.

Tatum has been exceptional to begin the season. He's attacking out of the post more, driving the lane with regularity, and has reduced his isolation perimeter offense. As such, the veteran forward has seen his overall scoring profile undergo a significant change.

The results have been astounding. Tatum is currently averaging 27.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game, shooting 49.8% from the field and 36.5% from 3-point range.

Kristaps Porzignis has been ruled out of the Celtics game on Sunday. He was injured in the loss to the Orlando Magic. As such, Tatum will likely shoulder a bigger offensive workload, which could see him explode in the scoring column along with generating more offense via his playmaking abilities.

Furthermore, Tatum has been a high-level defender to begin the season. According to Dunks and Three's, the All-NBA forward sits in the 84th percentile for defensive estimated plus/minus, making him one of the more impactful two-way stars in the NBA.

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The Boston Celtics lack of depth could be an issue

Against the Orlando Magic, the Boston Celtics' lack of bench depth was exposed as a potential stumbling block. There's no denying that the Celtics' top-8 rotation is among the most talented in the league. However, there's a legitimate talent drop-off in spots 9-through-15.

When two or more of the primary rotation are missing due to injury, the Celtics become a far weaker team. Oshae Brissett, Lamar Stevens, Svi Mykhailiuk, and, to a lesser extent, Luke Kornet are all single-skill players who fail to provide robust value.

The long NBA season and increased physicality with which Boston is approaching games mean that injuries are a genuine possibility. As such, Brad Stevens may look to improve the bench unit before the February 8 trade deadline so that the Celtics have the best chance of winning a championship.

Right now, it's clear that Boston's top-heavy roster can falter when someone is missing from the rotation. It's a risk many teams have taken in the past, with varying results. Seeing some additional depth join the franchise in the coming months would be the ideal way to solidify the Celtics position as the most talented team in the NBA.