Jayson Tatum's Joy Outweighing Pressure of NBA Finals Return: "I was Like a Kid'

Bobby Krivitsky | Jun 30, 2024

Jun 6, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) shoots against the Dallas Mavericks in the second quarter during game one of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

While it may require Jayson Tatum to pour in points for some to appreciate his outsized influence on the outcome, the five-time All-Star was exceptional in Thursday's 107-89 win.

The five-time All-Star repeatedly attacked downhill, getting into the paint and engaging multiple Mavericks defenders before finding open teammates.

According to Todd Whitehead of Synergy, Boston created 12 three-point attempts via a paint touch to Dallas' six, and non-garbage time scoring on those plays favored the hosts, 21-3.

At the root of that was Tatum weaponizing a defense loading up to stop him, as he has done all season. His five assists tied Jrue Holiday and Derrick White for the most in the matchup, and his 14 potential assists were a game high.

At the other end of the floor, the three-time All-NBA First Team selection often matched up against the Mavericks' centers, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II. That caused the visitors to shy from utilizing them as screeners in the pick-and-roll, neutralizing two lob threats that represent one of Dallas' most reliable sources of offense.

And despite grappling with Lively and Gafford, perhaps the most underrated aspect of Boston's defensive masterpiece in the series opener was the job Tatum did on the glass to help repeatedly limit the visitors to one shot per possession.

The former Duke Blue Devil grabbed nine of his game-high 11 rebounds on the defensive end of the floor, fueling the Celtics' up-tempo attack.

So, while a 16-point performance might not move the needle for those fixated on that singular stat, the St. Louis, Missouri native won't lose sleep over flipping the Mavericks' game plan into Boston's advantage to help lead his team to a tone-setting victory.

"It felt great," said Tatum of his first game back on the NBA Finals stage. "To be honest, I was nervous. I ain't going to lie. I was nervous in like an anxious way, as like a little kid. It's surreal being in The Finals. When you're young, I guess, in your career, you think you're always going to go back. Last year was kind of like a wake-up call when we didn't make it.

"So, getting back to this point and being here is really a big deal. We played well tonight. There's a lot of things we feel like we could do better. But it definitely does feel good to win the first game. But we know that two years ago, we won the first game and the outcome of that series. So, we still have a lot of work to do."

As the Celtics work to complete their journey to the NBA summit, Tatum shared about how he manages to use the responsibility and pressure of this opportunity to his advantage while still having fun on the court and living out his dream, "Just staying present, staying in the moment.

"Like I said, I was, in a positive way, I was nervous before the game. I was like a kid (on the) first day of school. I know how exciting and big of a deal all of this is, so, just finding a space to enjoy the moment and have fun playing basketball."

Further Reading

Inside the Moment that Propelled Celtics to NBA Finals Game 1 Win

Preparation and Perspective Fueling Kristaps Porzingis in NBA Finals

Celtics Set the Tone for the NBA Finals with Game 1 Haymaker

Celtics Stars Reflect on Lessons Learned from 2022 NBA Finals

Kyrie Irving Shares Regret and What He Takes from Playing in Boston

Celtics' All-Defensive Guards Relishing Chance to Defend Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic

Joe Mazzulla Eviscerates Contrived Narrative about Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

Al Horford Returns to NBA Finals Aiming to Add to a Legacy Already Cemented