After scoring 34 points in total in the first two matches of the Finals, Jayson Tatumwho announced that he could improve his skills in a single match, found some color, scoring 31 points in Game 3. Far from being perfect, with sometimes questionable and complicated shots (11/26 on the shoot, including 4/13 at 3-pts), the All-Star nevertheless signed his best scoring match of the series.
As for his part Jaylen Brown once again had a very good performance (30 points), the Finals MVP trophy seems promised to him. Which would, indirectly, prove Jason Kidd right, who said that Jaylen Brown was the “best player” in Boston.
Jayson Tatum was interviewed by Charles Barkley, on the set of NBA TVon this debate which attempts to decide the identity of Boston's best player. “Am I frustrated? I don't know. I heard all that. At the start of your career, you want statistics and individual trophies. And then we are told that we are not winning. Then, we find ourselves in a position to do it and…”it is then Charles Barkley who finishes his sentence. “…They say you don’t do statistics!” »
The main thing for him now is Game 4 and the title which has never been so close. To erase the failure against the Warriors two years ago. “Losing in the Finals is the worst thing.” he assures. “We are never sure of returning to the Finals. We understood this last season, taking things for granted and letting series drag on. It's not because we have a good team that we're going to go to the Finals. »
“We learned from our mistakes, from a team better than ours, which had already been to the Finals”
The experience of 2022 where the Celtics had twice been in control of the Finals (1-0, 2-1) before losing to Stephen Curry and his gang weighs heavily on the winger's mind.
“We’ve been in this situation before. We were in a close game, where we had a lead and we were almost 3-1 in the series. The Warriors equalized,” he remembersrecalling this superb Game 4 in Boston. “Experience is the best teacher. We learned from our mistakes, from a team better than ours, which had already experienced the Finals, reached this milestone, mentally stronger than us at the time. We progressed thanks to that and we saw it in this match. »
Joe Mazzulla's players confirmed their break in Dallas and now that they lead 3-0, with Game 4 coming on Friday, the trophy is almost in Boston. The “almost” makes sense to Jayson Tatum.
“Last season, we were down 3-0 in the conference final and we thought we would come back. We almost did it. We were one ankle sprain away from having a real chance,” slips the Boston player, touched at the start of Game 7 against Miami. “So we’re not relaxed and we’re not thinking about Friday. It will take as long as it takes, that’s our motto. »
| Jayson Tatum | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2017-18 | BOS | 80 | 31 | 47.5 | 43.4 | 82.6 | 0.6 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 13.9 |
| 2018-19 | BOS | 79 | 31 | 45.0 | 37.3 | 85.5 | 0.9 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 15.7 |
| 2019-20 | BOS | 66 | 34 | 45.0 | 40.3 | 81.2 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 23.4 |
| 2020-21 | BOS | 64 | 36 | 45.9 | 38.6 | 86.8 | 0.8 | 6.6 | 7.4 | 4.3 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 26.4 |
| 2021-22 | BOS | 76 | 36 | 45.3 | 35.3 | 85.3 | 1.1 | 6.9 | 8.0 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 26.9 |
| 2022-23 | BOS | 74 | 37 | 46.6 | 35.0 | 85.4 | 1.1 | 7.7 | 8.8 | 4.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 30.1 |
| 2023-24 | BOS | 74 | 36 | 47.1 | 37.6 | 83.3 | 0.9 | 7.2 | 8.1 | 4.9 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 26.9 |
| Total | 513 | 34 | 46.0 | 37.5 | 84.4 | 0.9 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 3.5 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 23.1 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
