BOSTON — With just a little greater than a minute left in Sport 6 of the N.B.A. finals, Celtics Coach Ime Udoka pulled his starters. That meant Jayson Tatum had a minute to sit down by himself and really feel the burden of disappointment that got here with shedding.
“It hurts,” Tatum stated. “Being with this group, the things we’ve overcome throughout the season, getting to this point. Just knowing how bad we wanted it, coming up short. It’s a terrible feeling.”
He lowered his head as he spoke, staring on the desk he sat behind.
A couple of minutes earlier than, Tatum needed to endure the indignity of watching one other workforce, Golden State, have fun profitable a championship on his dwelling courtroom. He politely congratulated his opponents, then walked off with a clean look on his face. When a fan reached down from the stands and grabbed the towel off his shoulders, Tatum didn’t even react.
He had not been at his finest throughout the finals, usually guarded by Golden State’s Andrew Wiggins. Within the clinching recreation, Tatum scored solely 13 factors with 7 assists and three rebounds, whereas committing 5 turnovers. It capped a troublesome sequence wherein he struggled to discover a rhythm offensively. At 24, he’s a foundational piece of Boston’s younger core, and this might have been his second.
On June 1, the day earlier than the finals started, Tatum spoke to the media and stated he wished to be trustworthy.
“There have been times where I questioned, am I the right kind of person to kind of lead a group like this,” he stated. “You know, never, like, doubted myself, but just moments after some of those losses and the tougher parts of the season. That’s human nature to kind of question yourself.”
He stated it was necessary to “always stick to what you believe in and trust in the work that you’ve put in.”
Then he went on.
“You know, it can’t rain forever.”
The Celtics had opened the season off-kilter, shedding their first two video games and, by early January, 19 extra. They have been 18-21 and seemed to be destined for an early low season. However led by Tatum, they turned issues round. They roared by the second half of the season and claimed the second seed within the East.
The postseason seemed to be a formidable problem, however Tatum’s Celtics, the most well liked workforce within the league, might have risen to the event. In the long run, they didn’t get there.
“One thing that he’s always done throughout the season was seeing multiple different coverages and figured it out,” Udoka stated. “He did that throughout the first few series. This one was a rough one. Very consistent team that did some things to limit him and make others pay.
“For him, it’s just continuing to grow and understand you’re going to see this the rest of your career. This is just a start.”
Tatum already has a notable résumé. He has been named an N.B.A. All-Star for the previous three seasons. This yr, he was additionally named to the first-team All-N.B.A. For his efficiency towards the Miami Warmth within the Japanese Convention finals, Tatum was given the Japanese Convention finals’ Most Precious Participant Award.
He averaged 26.9 factors per recreation throughout the common season and solely 2.9 turnovers per recreation. His turnover numbers have been decrease than many of the gamers with higher scoring averages than he had.
When requested what the Celtics wanted to enhance, Tatum stated: “I think just our level of poise at times throughout this series and previous series, myself included. Taking care of the ball, things like that.”
For the Celtics as an entire, turnovers have been an issue throughout the finals. Boston misplaced the ultimate three video games of the sequence, committing 15 turnovers in Sport 4, one other 18 in Sport 5 and a painful 22 in Sport 6. Golden State had its careless moments as nicely however responded with sufficient poise to get better.
“It’s easy to look back and see all the things you could have done better,” Tatum stated. “We tried. I know that for a fact.”
To single out Tatum’s offense can be to overlook some context in a sequence that had a defensive bent to it. Boston couldn’t rating 100 factors after Sport 3. The Celtics held Golden State to 104.8 factors per recreation, beneath its regular-season common of 111 factors per recreation.
Tatum additionally was capable of have an effect on the sport with out scoring early within the sequence. The Celtics scored 120 factors in Sport 1, their highest scoring recreation of the finals. Tatum added simply 12 factors. Golden State defenders saved Tatum uncomfortable, whether or not he tried to drive to the basket or shoot from exterior. He started to search for his teammates as an alternative and had 13 assists.
However because the sequence progressed, Golden State started to remove his different choices and make Boston pay for its errors.
From Video games 2 by 5, Tatum averaged 26 factors per recreation however struggled to make a major influence, notably because the stakes rose.
It was a departure from earlier within the playoffs. When the Celtics confronted elimination in Sport 6 of the Japanese Convention semifinals towards the Milwaukee Bucks, Tatum scored 46 factors with 9 rebounds and 4 assists. He shot 53.1 % from the sector that recreation.
It was a feat that he couldn’t come near matching towards Golden State. There have been even occasions throughout the finals when Tatum appeared hesitant to take a shot if it was there for him, opting to search for teammates as an alternative. He additionally struggled to complete on the rim.
“We all could have done things better,” Tatum stated. “I feel like I could have done a lot of things better.”
Tatum injured his proper shoulder throughout the Japanese Convention finals however wouldn’t attribute his struggles to that damage. He was requested if he would wish surgical procedure and stated he didn’t suppose he would.
Relatively, dejected after coming so near profitable his first championship, Tatum spoke solely usually concerning the want for enchancment and the way troublesome the evening was.
His teammates provided assist.
“Just gave him a hug, man,” Boston’s Jaylen Brown stated. “I know it was a tough last game. I know, obviously, it was a game we felt like we could have won.”
His coach had encouraging phrases, too.
“The growth he showed as a playmaker this year and in certain areas, I think this is the next step for him,” Udoka stated. “Figuring that out, getting to where some of the veterans are that have seen everything and took their lumps early in their careers.”
He added: “High I.Q., intelligent guy that will learn from this and figure it out. I think it will propel him to go forward, definitely motivate him.”
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