Jayson Tatum feels like he’s arrived as one of the best players in the whole world after the Boston Celtics’ playoff run in 2021-22. The young star carried his team through the playoffs spectacularly, winning tough series against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat. However, the Celtics and Tatum ultimately fell short of the main goal, with the Golden State Warriors winning the championship.
In the aftermath, Tatum caught a lot of flak for his performances in the Finals from fans and media members alike. His numbers dipped, and he couldn’t get much going on the offensive end, a big part of why the Celtics eventually lost the series. And now NBA analyst Bill Simmons, a long-time Celtics fan, has spoken about how he wishes Tatum would react to the disappointment on his show, the Bill Simmons podcast.
“If you’re the Celtics and you’re the Good Ship Lollipop right now, it’s going great. You’re this young team. Everyone’s got great contracts. Everybody likes each other. It came damn close. Do I wish Jayson Tatum was a little more upset about how the Finals played out? How bad he was? Yeah, I do. I gotta be honest.
“Remember what happened to Magic Johnson after the 1984 Finals, just being in exile. Just being Rocky IV in the mountains, just like, ‘I gotta get back. I’m so humiliated.'”
The 1984 NBA Finals saw Magic Johnsons and the Los Angeles Lakers lose against Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics. This was a lot for Magic to handle, he took the time that summer to be by himself and prepare for the battle that would commence again next season. The Lakers famously won the title in 1985, with Johnson excelling, which is an example Tatum should aspire to. Getting to the Finals was a huge achievement, but it’ll be important to build on that and go the distance in the coming seasons.
