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On December 7, the Boston Celtics defeated the Phoenix Suns 125-98 to take their season record to 21-5.
Speaking to the media following the game, Jayson Tatum cut a motivated figure, sharing his belief that the team’s collective mentality is focused on winning a championship and bringing that elusive 18th banner to the TD Garden.
“Everybody in the locker room understands what we’re trying to do. We realize that we’ve got the best record; we’re 21-5. You know, with that comes a decision every night to play as hard as we can on both ends…The goal is still the same: to get back to the finals and get over that hump. So, while we’re having fun and happy with the way we’re playing. Nobody in that locker room is celebrating, satisfied with where we’re at. None of this means anything if we don’t hang a banner. So, you know, that’s the ultimate goal,” Tatum said.
Tatum was dominant against the Suns, scoring 25 points, grabbing five rebounds, dishing out two assists, and garnering two steals in 29 minutes of play while shooting 47.4% from the field and 37.5% from deep on 3-of-8 shooting.
Tatum Speaks on Impending Game Against Golden State
On Saturday, December 10, the Celtics will face off against the Golden State Warriors for the first time since their NBA Finals series, where Boston failed to overcome one of the league’s greatest-ever dynasties.
Speaking to the media following the Celtics’ victory over Phoenix, Tatum discussed his mindset heading into the first meeting of the season between these two teams.
“You know, it’s just one game. You know, obviously, it’s probably a big deal, and everybody is gonna make it a big deal. But for us, being honest, they beat us last year. They won a championship, and we lost. So, they got that over us, and you know, we understand that. But, obviously, we wanna go in there and continue to build off of what we’ve been doing. And you know, go in there and get a win. But, in the grand scheme of things, it’s just one game, so it’s not gonna make or break whatever we’re trying to accomplish once the game is over,” Tatum said.
The Warriors have been struggling to begin the new season and currently sit 10th in the Western Conference standings courtesy of a 13-and-13 record, putting them at .500 on the season. Given Boston’s incredible offensive improvements and the way they’re executing against high-level teams, the Celtics will likely enter their game against the Warriors brimming with confidence.
Jaylen Brown Believes Finals Loss Humbled Celtics
Jaylen Brown also spoke with the media after the Celtics’ game against Phoenix and as you would expect, gave his own opinion on Boston’s upcoming game against Golden State, sharing his belief that the Celtics were humbled by their recent NBA Finals loss.
“Losing at the highest point in the NBA Finals, there’s nothing more humbling than that, in a sense. There’s nothing that can bring forth humility than losing in the, at the time, the biggest moment of your career. Transferring to this season, I think we were all humble, so that’s part of our makeup,” Brown said.
Brown has been exceptional to start the new season and is currently operating at an ALL-NBA level, averaging 26.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 49.8% from the field, 34.5% from deep and 83.8% from the free-throw line. Now, the Celtics will be hoping their star wing duo can continue to perform at such an elite level for the remainder of the season and push the team back to the Finals, where they can finally look to win the championship they’re craving for.
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