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Jayson Tatum always had a strong relationship with Grant Williams when they were both members of the Boston Celtics. Williams, selected by Boston in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft, Williams played four full seasons in Boston before heading to the Dallas Mavericks in an offseason sign-and-trade deal.
Tatum and Williams developed a bond throughout those four years, always talking smack with each other. On Monday, January 22, Tatum delivered a blow to his former teammate at halftime of Boston’s 119-110 victory over the Mavs. Just as the halftime buzzer sounded, Williams heaved a halfcourt shot that was emphatically blocked by Tatum, who delivered a message to Williams that seemingly won’t be revealed to the public.
Jayson Tatum Mum on What He Said to Williams After Blocking His Shot
Tatum and Williams always joked with each other during their time in Boston. Williams came to the team two years after Tatum was drafted in 2017.
During the offseason, Williams became a free agent, and the Celtics elected to led Williams go instead of giving the 6-foot-6 forward a significant raise.
Tatum and Williams squared off for the first time as NBA players on Monday when the Celtics played the Mavs on the second leg of a back-to-back in Texas. Tatum finished with a game-high 39 points as Boston improved to an NBA-best record of 34-10. Williams had two points off the bench for Dallas, but he made news when his halfcourt heave was swatted by Tatum just before the teams headed into the locker room for the halftime break.
Tatum missed a free throw, Williams got the rebound and dribbled to halfcourt where he heaved the ball. Tatum showed little mercy by swatting the ball into the stands before saying a few words to Williams before hitting the locker room.
What were those words?
“I can’t repeat what I said,” Tatum said postgame.
Tatum said he gave a little extra effort to block Williams’ shot.
“Yeah, I tried to kick that s***, I ain’t going to lie,” he said. “It was all friendly, competitive nature. But I had to get that one off.”
Tatum Bounced Back After a Tough Night in Houston
Tatum needed a night like this. Although he still struggled from the 3-point line (2-for-8), he was 11-for-21 overall and pulled down 11 rebounds to go with his 39 points.
In Sunday’s win over the Houston Rockets, he missed 13 of his 17 shots and finished with 18 points. The previous game, a loss to the Denver Nuggets, Tatum went 9-for-24 from the floor and finished with 22 points. In the games against the Rockets and Nuggets, he went 2-for-14 from 3-point land.
“I say it all the time, we play so many games, and it’s not always going to go the way you want it,” Tatum said after the win over the Mavs. “That’s the beauty of being in the NBA that there’s always a game the next day or the day after that, and you get a chance to redeem yourself.
“I didn’t play as well as I wanted to (Sunday) for whatever reason, but my teammates helped me out. Tonight, I just wanted to come out and play better than I did yesterday.”
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