Following a stunning 118-94 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Boston Celtics player Jayson Tatum defended his team and disputed the concept that they are a superteam.
Speaking with reporters after the game, Tatum explained that the Celtics are frequently considered as a superteam, even if they “didn’t get rewarded like” one (6:35 mark):
The Celtics had a strong regular season, ranking among some of the best teams in NBA history. Their 64 wins matched the 2021-22 Phoenix Suns for the most by any team in the previous six seasons.
Boston’s plus-11.6 net rating tied the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors for third-best in NBA history. The only
Despite their regular-season dominance, the Celtics received little attention in award voting. Brad Stevens received the Executive of the Year award. Joe Mazzulla placed fourth in the Coach of the Year poll. Tatum finished sixth in the MVP vote.
Thursday’s game marked the Celtics’ second double-digit loss this postseason. They rallied from a 111-101 setback to the Miami Heat in Game 2 of the first round to win the following three games by an average of 22.7 points, completing the series in five games.
There was nothing the Celtics did correctly in their loss to the Cavs. They shot 41.3 percent from the field (8-of-35 from three-point range), while Cleveland made 54.7 percent of their field-goal attempts.
and all five starters shot at least 50 percent.
Not having Kristaps Porziņģis, who is nursing a calf injury that has kept him out for the past three games, is impacting what the Celtics want to do on both ends of the court. But it’s hard to use his absence as an excuse for this loss when they won the past two games without him by a combined 59 points.
Tatum is right that the Celtics haven’t been rewarded like a superteam. It’s because they have yet to play like one and often play down to their opponents in the playoffs.
The Celtics fell behind 3-0 to the No. 8 seed Heat last year in the Eastern Conference Finals before winning three straight to force Game 7 on their home court. They scored a season-low 84 points in that game and lost by 19.
Until Tatum and the Celtics win a title, there will always be a stigma that they aren’t built to win in the playoffs.
Game 7 is on their home court. They scored 84 points, a season low, and lost by 19.
Until Tatum and the Celtics win a championship, there will be a perception that they are not constructed to win in the playoffs.
