Jayson Tatum Sacrifices Are Huge Reason For Celtics Success

Highlights

The Boston Celtics dominated the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals with a 107-89 win.
Jason Kidd’s strategic comments on Jaylen Brown being Boston’s best player sparked some controversy ahead of Game 2.
Jayson Tatum has made huge sacrifices for the Celtics throughout the season, which is a big reason for their success.

The Boston Celtics threw the first punch in their NBA Finals match-up against the Dallas Mavericks by winning in impressive fashion, 107-89.

The series is still far from over, as the two teams are set to compete again on Sunday night at 8 PM ET. Game 2 could very well be a must-win game for the Mavericks, as the Celtics’ defense revealed some glaring holes throughout the teams’ roster.

The Mavericks will be expected to make plenty of adjustments in order to combat these holes. But as far as talent is concerned, there is only so much they can do to keep up with the powerhouse in Boston. Because of their limitations, it would be wise for them to attack the Celtics in other areas, rather than on the court, and Mavericks’ head coach Jason Kidd did just that.

Kidd Reignites Debate Over Celtics’ Stars

The Celtics’ duo insist that a winning championship remains their only goal

The savvy Hall of Famer has been in a fair share of NBA locker rooms, both as a player and coach, and he is as well-equipped as anyone at playing mind games.

When asked about Celtics’ star Jaylen Brown, Kidd replied with praise capable of sending shock waves through the Celtics organization.

“Well, Jaylen’s their best player.” – Jason Kidd

Given the Celtics’ history, the comments could very well pose a threat to the team’s chemistry moving forward. But this year, more than any other, the Celtics have silenced all outside noise and focused solely on winning the big one.

Brown responded to Kidd’s praise, acknowledging that his play is just as much of a reflection of his teammates as it is of himself.

Not only are his comments a prime example of the team’s focus, but their numbers on the court tell the same story as well.

Boston Celtics’ Stars Stats
Category	PPG		USG%
Player	2022-23	2023-24	2022-23	2023-24
Jayson Tatum	30.1	26.9	32.7	30.2
Jaylen Brown	26.6	23.0	31.4	28.9
Jrue Holiday	19.3	12.5	25.0	16.3
Derrick White	12.4	15.2	17.7	18.6
Kristaps Porziņģis	23.2	20.1	27.4	25.1

The Celtics have made a conscious effort to ensure that everyone plays their role, and it just so happens that Tatum’s role in these playoffs has changed dramatically.

He is no longer the primary isolation scorer he was in years past. He has repeatedly been tasked with guarding the opposing team’s big, utilizing his size and length as a rebounder and roamer on defense, while running the team’s offense on the other end.

Especially in the absence of Kristaps Porziņģis, Tatum accepting his role and sacrificing has been a large part of the Celtics’ success that he does not get credit for.

Not only has he spent these playoffs adjusting to his new role, but he gets blitzed by two defenders the moment he touches the ball, with an additional defender on the weak-side, anticipating the drive.

Though Kidd insists that Brown is the Celtics’ player, his game plan would certainly suggest otherwise. And to his credit, it has worked wonders, as far as Tatum’s production is concerned. Tatum continues his shooting woes and struggles to get in any kind of rhythm, but that will most likely change soon.

As Tatum and the Celtics continue their pursuit of a championship, the superstar will continue to leave his imprint on the game in every way possible. Even in the ways that go unnoticed.