Jayson Tatum Reacts to Celtics Potentially Letting Hope for the 1 Seed Slip in Loss vs. Wizards

The Celtics not playing down to their competition as often as they have this season likely cost them the one seed, which could be why they don't win the championship.

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday night's 130-111 loss to the Wizards represented the latest example of the Celtics paying the price for not playing anywhere near their standard against an opponent seeded tenth or below in their conference.

That list features three losses to the Magic, including getting swept in a two-game miniseries at TD Garden; getting blown out by a Thunder team missing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Coming up short against the Rockets, who, at the time, were tied with the Pistons for the fewest wins in the NBA, and letting a late lead slip against the Jazz. Boston also blew a 28-point lead at home against the Nets.

With the defending Eastern Conference champions within two games of the Bucks entering Tuesday's tilt in the nation's capital before traveling to Milwaukee to determine who wins their season series with the Bucks, the Celtics had a chance to reclaim the top seed in the conference entering the playoffs.

But their loss to the Wizards, putting them 2.5 back of Milwaukee, makes it unlikely Boston finishes ahead of the hosts of Thursday's matchup in the standings.

The Celtics will have to emerge victorious in hostile road environments in pressure-filled games to be the last team left standing. And in this author's opinion, Jayson Tatum delivered the best performance of his career when he dropped 46 points on Giannis Antetokounmpo and co. in Game 6 of their conference semifinal slugfest.

But if Game 7 didn't take place on the TD Garden parquet, would Grant Williams have produced the most impressive and meaningful performance of his career, registering 27 points, his highest output on an NBA stage?

Winner-take-all matchups tend to get decided by role players, who typically perform better at home.

After beating the Heat in Game 7 in South Beach in the Eastern Conference Finals and coming within two wins of an NBA title, this battle-tested group has added Malcolm Brogdon to the mix; Derrick White, who's averaging 12.4 points, four assists, 3.5 rebounds, and playing All-NBA caliber defense, is having a career-year, and Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are taking their games to higher levels than a season ago.

The former is playing at an All-NBA level, which could lead to a veteran supermax contract extension this summer, worth $273 million over five years, which could help keep him in Celtic green for at least the next few seasons.

And Tatum has evolved into a more dynamic scorer, exemplified by his impact as a screener, a role in which he consistently creates quality scoring chances for himself and his teammates. He's also having his best season on the boards, grabbing a career-high 8.9 rebounds.

So, maybe Boston's lack of focus and energy in losses where the defending Eastern Conference champions appeared to take their opponents lightly won't prove costly, even if the Celtics have to play the Sixers and the Bucks and don't have home-court advantage against the latter. At a minimum, it's made their path to the NBA Finals more challenging.

On the heels of Washington besting Boston, Jayson Tatum, who finished with a team-best 28 points, pairing it with nine rebounds, which also led the visitors, and five assists, tying Marcus Smart for the most on the Celtics, expressed the following.

"They count as 1, whether it was now or in December."

Jayson Tatum talks about the C's tough loss to Wizards while competing for the No. 1 seed pic.twitter.com/S6mI7rheM8

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 29, 2023

"You never want to have these moments, but somehow, someway, they tend to happen throughout the course of 82 games, and, you know, they count as one whether it's right now or whether it was in December, it's still a loss. And honestly, you've just got to move on from it."

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss vs. Wizards: Cold Shooting Dooms Boston in Costly Defeat

Celtics Visit White House to Discuss Criminal Justice Reform

Former Warriors' Director of Performance Keke Lyles Shares His Perspective on Load Management, Changing Stephen Curry's Movement Patterns, And What's Helped Jayson Tatum's Durability

Jaylen Brown Embraces Leadership Role in Celtics' Victory Over San Antonio Spurs

Jayson Tatum Provides Insight on Summer Conference Call with Jaylen Brown and Brad Stevens Amid Kevin Durant Trade Rumors

Devin McCourty Expresses Admiration for Jaylen Brown: 'I'm Excited to See What His Growth Looks Like and How He's Able to Impact the Community'

Jaylen Brown Addresses Non-Committal Comments About Celtics' Future: 'I'm Focused on Helping Lead My Team for Another Playoff Run'