A first final lost in 2022, the reunion with Kyrie Irving, the possibility of winning an 18th banner, two big transfers made before the start of the season… So many parameters to put more pressure on the shoulders of Jayson Tatum a few hours before the start of the NBA Finals.
“You know the answer to that question. Of course I have pressure,” replies the winger. “We only hang banners when we win a title, right? There are 17. Some of the greatest players in history have worn this jersey. We are all honored to follow in their footsteps, the path they paved for us so that we could live our dream. »
As with the Lakers, winning a title is the only goal in Boston and for Jayson Tatum, it is about putting his name alongside legends like Bill Russell, Larry Bird or Paul Pierce.
“To become one of the greatest to have worn this jersey, you have to win, all the greats before us have won a title. This is what we aim for every season. Expectations are obviously different here. It takes unique players to play here and be part of an environment like this,” says Jayson Tatum.
Waiting should not diminish the pleasure
However, the Celtics winger does not want these expectations and the pressure around the team to spoil the pleasure of the game when facing the Mavericks. In 2022, the team tensed up against the Warriors when they seemed to have the series in their hands by leading 2-1.
“For now, just stay in the moment,” estimates the “franchise player”. “I don't think about what's next, and what it would mean for my legacy or anything like that. I'm just happy to play basketball after this long break and try to get the job done. »
For the Celtics, it's about erasing the memory of last season, when the Heat deprived them of a second final in a row. No doubt he thought they could reach the Finals every year…
“ I know how difficult it is to get to the NBA Finals. When you're young, and you've achieved it once, you think it's going to continue. We realized this last year, and we took it for granted at times. We didn't reach the final, and this year we took a step back. You can see it in our excitement when we won the conference final. Obviously it's not enough, but it's really difficult to get to this point. »
