Inside The Celtics

Jayson Tatum is Ready for the Challenges that Await the Celtics in the Playoffs: 'We've Not Been Waiting for it But Working for it'

After coming within two wins of an NBA title, the Celtics believe they're better this season. But a return trip to the Finals likely requires a more difficult path.

Bobby Krivitsky

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The Celtics' path back to the NBA Finals likely requires them to go through the Sixers and the Bucks.

Boston improved to 56-25 with a 121-102 win over the Raptors Friday night, completing the sweep of a two-game series it hosted at TD Garden.

While the defending Eastern Conference champions have the second-best record in the NBA, Milwaukee is the one team ahead of them. So, if these two, who appear to be on a collision course, matchup in the playoffs, it'll be the one series in which the Celtics wouldn't have home-court advantage. That includes if they make a return trip to the NBA Finals.

Having Game 7 of their second-round series against the Bucks on their home parquet proved critical to advancing past Giannis Antetokounmpo and co. last year.

While Khris Middleton's injury-related absence from that series requires noting, it's worth pointing out that Robert Williams missed the last four games, and Marcus Smart didn't suit up for the second tilt.

Speaking of Middleton, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Milwaukee's star forward underwent an MRI on his right knee on Thursday. The results came back clean, and the expectation is he rehabs for the next week or so in hopes of being ready for the playoffs. Still, it's a situation that bears monitoring, including as the playoffs unfold.

Getting back to what happened in Game 7, role players tend to perform better at home in the playoffs. Often, that's who makes the difference in winner-take-all matchups.

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Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Grant Williams having the best performance of his career, registering what remains a career-high 27 points, burying 7/18 threes to propel Boston past the Bucks, is a prime example.

Granted, Game 6 was the best of Jayson Tatum's career from this author's vantage point, as he delivered a 46-point masterpiece in Milwaukee with the Celtics' season on the line. And then they went on to beat the Heat in Game 7 in South Beach.

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Still, the path back to the NBA Finals is more challenging than it needed to be due to playing down to sub-.500 competition too many times this season. The Bucks also deserve full credit for ripping off a 20-game win streak.

But as Tatum highlighted after registering 21 points and dishing out four assists in Boston's victory vs. Toronto, the Celtics didn't have Malcolm Brogdon last year, and Derrick White, more comfortable in his second campaign in Boston, has elevated his game.

In this author's opinion, White's been the team's third-best player this season. He has the second-highest net (10.7) and plus-minus rating (6.0) on the Celtics, per NBA.com.

That has a lot to do with why Tatum said post-game, after Boston beat the Raptors, he believes this team is better than the one that came within two wins of raising Banner 18 to the rafters above TD Garden.

Jaylen Brown shared that sentiment after the Celtics went to Milwaukee and steamrolled the hosts 140-99 in arguably their best two-way performance this season.

Tatum and Brown are producing All-NBA-caliber campaigns. According to Celtics Stats, the team's official statistical account, the duo are two of the NBA's three players averaging at least 26 points, six rebounds, three assists, and a steal per game this season. Luka Doncic completes the trio.

So, while the Bucks will have home court if they face Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals, between last year's experience, internal growth, and Brogdon's addition, Tatum conveyed the following to NBC Sports Boston's Abby Chin about his outlook on the challenge that awaits the Celtics in the playoffs.

"That we get another opportunity," the four-time All-Star stated. "We essentially worked all summer, all season, to get back to this point of the playoffs to get another chance. And we put ourselves in a great position; we had a great regular season, and it's go-time."

Tatum then went to the podium and expressed, "I think experience is the best teacher. This group, we've been through, over these last two years, we've been through a lot. We've accomplished a lot, and we've failed, we've failed together," adding "we've not been waiting for it but working for it."

Further Reading

Sam Hauser Discusses His Career Night in Celtics' Blowout vs. Raptors

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Raptors: Boston's Defense and Offensive Approach Produce Blowout Victory

Jaylen Brown Opens Up About His Relationship with Marcus Smart

Jaylen Brown Shares What Winning the Red Auerbach Award Means to Him: 'I've Put My Everything Into This Team, I've Put My Everything Into This City'

Celtics Discuss Malcolm Brogdon's Sixth Man of the Year Candidacy

Joe Mazzulla Reacts to the Celtics Clinching the Two Seed in the East

Jaylen Brown on His Relationship with Jayson Tatum: 'We’re a Part of Each Other’s Destiny'

[Film Room] What the Celtics Did to Slow Down Giannis Antetokounmpo in Blowout vs. Bucks

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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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