Jayson Tatum may have grown up in St. Louis, but there’s no doubt he’s Boston even.
Ever since Tatum was selected with the third pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Boston has become his home with the Celtics fan base embracing him from the start and never letting go of his love for the superstar striker.
In his rookie season, Tatum showed the kind of potential he had with a kill to LeBron James in Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals that still resonates to this day.
Since then, Celtics fans have always believed that this moment would come and that Tatum could offer it. Now, Wednesday night, the 24-year-old will lead a team on the floor of the TD Garden looking to win an NBA Finals game when his team faces the Golden State Warriors, live at Sky Sports Arena and Main Event, starting at 1:45 p.m. .
Speaking exclusively with Sky Sports, Tatum told us how important it would be to be part of the team leading up to the 18th banner of the championship rising to the beams.
“That would mean everything,” Tatum said. “And that’s why you play those games. To win at the highest level, to be the last team standing, to be champion … as a child, that’s why you worked. To have the opportunity to do it and hopefully , you know, raise him, he would be the happiest man in the world.
“I’m excited, though, about my first home game in Boston. You know, they’ve been great all season, all the playoffs. So I can only imagine what the atmosphere will be like, how exciting it will be. great, so I can’t wait for the third game. “
The Celtics managed to split the first two road games at Golden State and it’s interesting to read how they went.
Boston took Game 1 one night when Tatum shot just 3 of 17 from the field. However, he added to his final 12 points with 13 assists and just two losses.
In the second game, his teammates, who had carried the scoring load in his absence on the first day of the series, hesitated collectively in terms of hitting shots, shooting only 37.5% overall and struggling to do anything within the 3-point line. Although Tatum himself scored 28 points, the Celtics fell to a 107-88 loss.
It may have been difficult, so far, to find a balance between being the top scorer and a top facilitator against Golden State; so what’s the key to making sure you maximize your ability to do both in game 3?
Image: Boston Celtics striker Jayson Tatum leads the basket against Golden State Warriors goalie Gary Payton II during the second game
“Don’t think about it too much,” Tatum said. “I’ve been playing basketball all my life. I think the mentality is to do what it takes to win. Any night, that could be something different, right? It’s just basketball, it’s not too much pressure. Have fun, play the right way and always take care of it.
“I hope to play well tomorrow. As long as we win, that’s all that matters. Do my part to go there and try to make sure we get a win.”
The Celtics had five touchdown losses and just four baskets during a crucial third quarter of the second game, which left them with an insurmountable 23-point deficit, and Tatum admits taking care of the ball will be key in the third game.
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Check out the best plays from the second game of the NBA Finals!
“The last game, we turned the ball around a bit more,” he said. “So I think that’s a point of emphasis, that we need to be better at controlling the ball.
“And I think you make more of a move on offense, we got a little stuck there. I think with training today, get ready for filming tomorrow, watching movies, we’ll be ready for the game.”
Kobe Bryant was Tatum’s idol as he grew up and always makes sure to represent the great deceased in the NBA at every opportunity. In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Miami, he pulled out a No. 24 purple bracelet as the Celtics beat the Heat to reach the biggest stage of all. Before Game 2, he appeared in a jacket that honored both Kobe and Michael Jordan.
However, Mamba remains the main person he seeks inspiration from, even watching his clips before being crowned the inaugural MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals.
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Jayson Tatum, Larry Bird’s Eastern Conference Finals MVP, dominated Game 7 between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, finishing with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists.
As for someone who inspires you to greatness and continues to help drive your team to a championship, Tatum probably couldn’t have chosen a better idol.
“Everyone knows how much it meant to me, how much it meant to the world, how much it meant to the basketball game,” Tatum said. “He was my inspiration. He was my favorite player. That’s why I fell in love with basketball.
“I think only his mentality, how hard he worked. He always wanted to be the best player. He knew it from a very young age and he did what was necessary and that’s something I’ve always admired and appreciated. He was exercising. , preparing, being the best anyway.
“I’ve seen all his finals, matches and highlights and interviews and stuff like that. Along with him and other great players I’ve always admired, trying to steal a little bit of his mentality from his game and try to implement it in my I’m going through this journey. “
If the Celtics want to recover when the series moves to Boston for Game 3 Wednesday night, they will need part of Tatum’s support cast to play much more as they did in the first game than on the second Sunday.
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Highlights of the second game of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors
At Horford he didn’t even score in the first half after leading the Celtics with 26 points in the first game and finishing with two points. Derrick White missed 9 of 13 shots and stayed at 12 points, Marcus Smart was just 1 of 6 off the field. Jaylen Brown made his first three shots and scored 13 points in the first quarter, but was 1 of 11 the rest of the way, without supporting Tatum.
However, instead of reading too much about these things, Tatum chooses to focus on himself and what he can do to lead the team to success while reflecting on how far he has personally come to this point. He is grateful for the opportunity.
“It’s hard to process everything now,” Tatum added. “Obviously I know I’m in the final and every time I see the trophy, or if I go in here (in the arena), it’s up to me. But at the same time, I’m just trying to prepare for the next game. And I [can’t] get too caught up in the moment.
“It’s a balance. Obviously, just knowing my journey from where I am, and being here, is a blessing. It’s a dream come true. As if I’m from St. Louis, I’m in the finals, it doesn’t. There’s no there is nothing better than that. “
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