BOSTON — As Jayson Tatum put it after the Celtics’ Game 2 win over the Mavericks, they’re so close to reaching their ultimate goal. Sure, there’s a lot more work to be done as the NBA Finals shifts to Dallas for Games 3 and 4. But now, the C’s are just a mere two wins away from hanging Banner No. 18.
So with the Celtics so tantalizingly close to that championship ring, Tatum asked, “why would I let my ego or my need to score all the points get in the way of that?” And that mindset is part of what makes him a rare breed of NBA star. The Celtics have been all about sacrifice this season — it’s just another issue actually following through on those principles on a nightly basis.
“There are going to be times where I need to score, and obviously, I need to shoot better,” Tatum said. “Golly. We always talk about do whatever it takes for however long it takes. If I need to have 16 potential assists every single night and that’s what puts us in the best position to win and it doesn’t mean I’m the leading scorer, by all means, if that gives us the best chance to win, sign me up.”
BetMGM BET UP TO $1,500! BONUS BET REFUND AFTER A LOSS
STATES: AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21 years of age or older to wager. MA Only. New Customer Offer. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets. Bonus bets expire 7 days from issuance. In Partnership with MGM Springfield. Play it smart from the start with GameSense. GameSenseMA.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org. US Promotional Offers not available in New York.
Oftentimes in the NBA, stars talk about sacrificing for the betterment of the team. It’s all about winning, they say. But again oftentimes, stars don’t actually follow through on the process of sacrifice. That hasn’t been the case for the Celtics and Tatum this season — just about everyone has adjusted their game because they’re so talented up and down the roster. So in the sense of Game 2, Tatum showed those traits as he showed more of a playmaking role when his shots weren’t falling.
Tatum was by no means perfect in Game 2, which the Celtics won 105-98 over the Mavs to take the 2-0 series lead. He was just 6-for-22 from the field, including 1-of-7 on 3-pointers. Tatum finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and, importantly, 12 assists. So there are shades of growth there — especially when compared to the Finals two years ago. Back then, Tatum wasn’t able to affect the game like he does on a nightly basis when his shots aren’t falling. But the 26-year-old has matured his game since then, which he showed off Sunday.
“It’s not all about scoring,” Tatum said. “I can be the guy rebounding and getting assists and drawing attention. I’m going to have the ball in certain spots. I draw so much attention. I’m not always going to be the guy to get the shot. But sometimes sacrificing, being in those spots to make the play that we get the best shot possible, knowing that what they want to take away in their schemes and things like that. So being the guy in different ways.”
C’s coach Joe Mazzulla has preached it all season: Success looks different every night. The Celtics were certainly successful in Sunday’s win even if it was an imperfect effort. And at this point of the season in the NBA Finals, it’s all about picking up victories in the name of a title. So that’s what Tatum did even if it looked ugly for stretches.
That’s put the Celtics in prime position to get to Banner No. 18. Once again, a 2-0 series lead is far from a guaranteed outcome. The C’s head to Dallas now, where the Mavs’ role players can perhaps elevate their game in friendlier environments. So there will be tests ahead in the coming days. But the C’s will do whatever it takes to win two more games, and that’s a nod to Tatum in some ways as a rare breed of NBA star.
“Jayson makes greatness look easy,” Mazzulla said. “He does it in a lot of different ways. He does it on defense, he does it on rebounding, he does it on passing, he does it on screening. He’s a tremendous player and not hard to coach him. When he has the ability to affect the game in different ways, we’re a different team. But it takes everybody to do it.”
