Inside The Celtics

Driven by Championship Pursuit, Jayson Tatum Unfazed by Sacrifice, Less Fanfare: 'Don't Look for That Praise'

The Celtics have the most talented top six in the NBA. Maximizing that requires a sacrifice exemplified by star forward Jayson Tatum.

Bobby Krivitsky

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
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The Boston Celtics are blessed with what's widely considered the most talented top six in the NBA. But maximizing that requires sacrifice.

No one on the team is doing so more than Jayson Tatum.

Dishing out seven assists and registering four screen assists that produced ten points, both representing game-highs, setting up his teammates to seize the scoring spotlight in the Celtics' 126-115 win in their Christmas clash with the Los Angeles Lakers, exemplified that.

The soon-to-be five-time All-Star debuted his second Jordan signature sneaker in that game, a matchup showcasing one of the most iconic rivalries in sports. Furthermore, it took place in the arena where his childhood idol, Kobe Bryant, starred.

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But while it might not have gone as he envisioned, one never would've known based on how Tatum played, relishing a role that helped fuel his team's success.

He's embraced that approach all season, singularly driven by his pursuit of a championship.

"We've had so much team success and had our fair (share) of individual success and accolades, and the only thing left is to really win a championship," Tatum told Inside The Celtics in a recent conversation, discussing his maturation and career evolution.

Saturday, the three-time All-NBA selection delivered another stellar performance in a 118-101 win over the Indiana Pacers, generating a game-high 38 points, including 15 in the final frame. He knocked down 14/23 field goal attempts, including 8/13 from beyond the arc.

The former Duke Blue Devil paired that production with 14 rebounds, the most in the matchup, and six assists.

After the victory, his head coach, Joe Mazzulla, voiced, "That's what happens when you have a guy like him, is you take him for granted sometimes."

The Celtics' second-year bench boss continued, "It's easy when you get new toys, or you have different things that we want to talk about, and it's actually the ultimate compliment; I was telling him, 'When you get to the point where you're so good, and you're so good from a basketball standpoint, and you want to get better, and you have such high character that people can take it for granted. I think that's the ultimate compliment because they start to just see it as, 'Oh, you're supposed to do that.'

"His growth as a player in the last month, I think, has exponentially just jumped. The patience that he's playing with on drives, his potential assists average, his screening, his ability to know that he needs his teammates to make him better. And he had 38 points on 23 shots, and I didn't think he forced very much."

When informed of his head coach's comments, Tatum conveyed the following.

"I don't look for that praise, I guess, anymore. I've accomplished a lot in this league, and I'm truly at the point where I want to get over that hump; I want to get back to the Finals, (and) I want to help us win a championship. And what I'm doing may not, I might not win MVP, but just trying to help us continue to be the best team in the league."

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Stellar Final Frame Snaps Pacers' Win Streak

Celtics Maximization Fueled by Their Maturation: 'Not Taking Days for Granted'

Brad Stevens Shares What Celtics Are Looking to Add and How He Hopes to Do So

Brad Stevens Says Celtics Have 'Green Light' to Add to Payroll, But Boston Still Restricted

Celtics' Maturation, Sacrifice Fueling Their Success

Derrick White Opens Up About Journey from Uncertainty He Belonged in the NBA to an All-Star Caliber Guard

Jaylen Brown Quieting Doubters, Validating What He Always Believed: 'Earn Everybody's Trust'

Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics' Offense: 'Balance of Pace and Execution'

Jaylen Brown Shares His View of What Defines 'Celtics Basketball'

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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