Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has openly accepted the blame for his performance in the first two games of the playoff series against the New York Knicks. The Celtics are in a tough spot, down 0-2 in the best of seven series. Another pivotal Game 3 comes Saturday with the series tied at 1-1. Like every young star, Tatum is eager to prove himself, improve his game, lead his team to wins.
Right from the jump during the first two games of the series, Tatum’s issues were not just obvious, but alarming. In fact, Perkins only managed to score eight points in Game 2, making his presence felt as the Celtics barely eked out a victory of 91-90. The entire series, Tatum has shot nine free throws. This stat should raise alarm bells about how overly aggressive he was on the floor. He logged eight turnovers, none more consequential than one that turned out to be critical in the closing moments of Game 2.
“I take full ownership of the way that I’ve played in this series and can’t sugarcoat anything,” Tatum stated after the loss, emphasizing his need to step up his performance. He conceded that personally, his shooting has been bad. He has missed two-thirds of all these shots, hitting just 12 of 42 En Fuego’s total of 29%. On top of that, Tatum has not been shy about settling for the three ball, making just 5 of 20 looks (25%) from deep.
What’s been most troubling about Tatum’s play, along with his Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown, has been their production—or lack thereof—in key moments. Collectively, they convert for an atrocious 2-for-19 shooting in fourth quarters so far this series. Tatum’s recent performances have prompted questions regarding his health, as he mentioned feeling unwell after the last game.
Despite these challenges, Tatum remains optimistic. “I need to be better, and I expect to be a lot better,” he affirmed. His desire to devour the world and get better has never wavered. The Celtics have to win Game 3 to have a shot in the postseason.
Even Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla recognized the seriousness of their situation when he said that humility is the most important thing right now. “You can’t just have a pride and entitlement that we’re holier than now, that we’re not allowed to be down 0-2,” he stated, urging his players to remain grounded despite their past successes. Mazzulla lauded Tatum for owning up to his faults. He challenged the whole team to acknowledge that they are all equally responsible for their present situation.
“It’s a credit to [Tatum], I don’t think that I appreciate the fact that he would [take responsibility], but I think it’s on everybody,” Mazzulla added.
Tatum’s candidness about his bad game resonated with his teammates. They’ve been practicing day and night to hone their skills and strategies so they’re ready when the clock runs down. “Guys work really hard on their game and their craft and prepare to be in those moments to hit open shots, and it just hasn’t happened the last two games,” he remarked.
The Celtics moved on to prepare for Game 3. Regardless, all eyes will be on Tatum to see if he can turn his bold words into action. Boston desperately needs to win this match to turn the series in their direction. They shouldn’t have to find themselves in the position of having to keep playing uphill against a focused Knicks team.
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