The Boston Celtics went from looking like NBA Finals favorites to being down 2-0 in their second-round NBA playoff series with the New York Knicks. Being in a two-game hole is never ideal, and the Celtics' situation is even more frustrating given Jayson Tatum's abysmal play to begin the series.
Tatum is the Celtics' best player and should be able to put on an MVP-like performance when his team needs him. Instead, the six-time NBA All-Star has looked like anything but that, resulting in Boston fans begging him to step up before it's too late.
Jayson Tatum Addresses Early Struggles in Celtics vs. Knicks Series
After facing criticism in back-to-back games, Tatum finally addressed his poor play during Thursday's press conference. The Celtics star showed zero issues with taking accountability, something his fans will surely appreciate.
"I take full ownership on the way that I've played in this series," Tatum said, per MassLive's Souichi Terada. "And I can't sugarcoat anything, I need to be better. I expect to be a lot better."
Jayson Tatum Talks About His Poor Play
Tatum's poor offensive play wouldn't be as frustrating if it weren't for the huge drop-off between his opening-round and second-round performances. The former 2017 third-overall pick went from averaging 31.3 points while shooting 44.7% from the floor and 36.4% from deep against the Orlando Magic in Round 1 to putting up 18.0 PPG with a 28.6 FG% and 25.0 3P% in his first two outings against the Knicks.
On top of that, Tatum is also averaging 4.0 turnovers per game in Round 2 compared to the 2.8 he averaged in Round 1, further highlighting his disappointing performance. While some players would see this play as a sign to change things up, the Celtics star thinks otherwise.
"We have an identity, and it can't waver just because we missing shots," Tatum admitted. "We can't change who we are. And I always say, you got to be the same person when things are going well and when things aren't going well."
Hopefully, Tatum's approach leads to a turnaround because the Celtics can't afford anything less. Even though the likes of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Kristaps Porzingis are also integral to Boston's success, a second-round comeback can't happen as long as the former Duke Blue Devil is still struggling to score when his team needs him the most.
Things haven't gone in the Celtics' way so far, but that could change this weekend. FanDuel Sportsbook is currently listing Boston as the 5.5-point road favorite over New York in Game 3, leaving time to tell if Tatum has what it takes to help the C's capitalize on that promising outlook.
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