Jayson Tatum Sends Reminder to East Foes After Big Additions

The Boston Celtics are the new kings of the NBA after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the NBA Finals.

For the Celtics’ organization, they’ve won 18 titles. But for the duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, they’ve finally gotten over the hump after being on the doorstep for multiple years.

With Boston winning the NBA title, they now have a bullseye on their back as every team they face will try to give them their best shot.

The Celtics are already seeing a couple of teams in the Eastern Conference loading up this offseason to try and dethrone them. The New York Knicks made a blockbuster trade to land Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets and re-signed OG Anunoby to a huge multi-year deal.

Then you have the Philadelphia 76ers, who landed the best free agent on the open market in Paul George and have reshaped their roster after getting swept in the first round of the NBA playoffs by the Knicks.

Tatum was a guest on the 7PM in Brooklyn Podcast with Carmelo Anthony and Kid Mero and acknowledged the moves those teams made. But he also made it known that everybody has to come through Boston at the end of the day.

"I mean, it's twofold. Like, I see all the changes in people switching teams, and obviously, teams is getting better," Tatum said (h/t Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report). "And that's every offseason. And you got to have like an appropriate fear or respect for your opponent, right? You don't never want to disrespect who you playing. But with that being said, it's like we won. Like, when you win a championship, you get to talk how you want to talk. They gotta go through us."

The five-time All-Star is right about teams getting better this summer and you must respect your opponent because we know anybody can get beat on any given night in the league.

However, Tatum is also right saying that the Celtics get to pump their chest out a little more as they are the new kings of the NBA. The Knicks and Sixers will likely face the Celtics in the semifinals or Eastern Conference Finals next season to get to the NBA Finals.

It wouldn't be an easy challenge for either team, as the Celtics know what it takes to win, and they are good at home in the playoffs. It will be fun to see how next season plays out as you have to believe the Knicks, Sixers, Cavaliers, Bucks, Pacers, and Magic will try to make a run for the top spot in the East.

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