Jayson Tatum has made a bold claim that the league-leading Boston Celtics aren’t a superteam because the media doesn’t reward them like one, suggesting their lack of postseason award success.
“That’s the narrative you might see on TV, the idea that we have a super team. It’s twofold. We didn’t have the Coach of the Year or MVP. We only had two All-Stars. They say we’re a super team, but we didn’t get rewarded like we are.”
Jayson Tatum on expectations for the Celtics: “That’s the narrative you might see on TV, the idea that we have a super team. It’s twofold. We didn’t have the Coach of the Year or MVP. We only had two All-Stars. They say we’re a super team, but we didn’t get rewarded like we are.” pic.twitter.com/kWhHv4afDM
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 10, 2024
The Celtics have been considered a superteam all season long. They’re the only 60-win team in the NBA, walking over the league and racking up 65 wins for the season. Using awards as a basis to say you’re not a superteam is just not sound. It’s natural that the individuals will get less shine if a larger team is performing well.
Joe Mazzulla didn’t win Coach of the Year because the Celtics talent was expected to achieve what they achieved. Mark Daigneault won it because nobody expected the Thunder to be the No. 1 seed in the West. Tatum let himself down with his production as he lost steam in the MVP race despite being the best player on the best team in the NBA.
Derrick White has been heralded as the most underrated player in the NBA, so now that his talent is being recognized in making this Celtics squad a superteam, Tatum expects the media and fans to backtrack.
The cost of the roster, the individual talent, and their on-court achievements this season do indicate this is a superteam, whether or not Tatum agrees with that assertion.
Jayson Tatum Has Had A Quiet Playoffs So Far
Tatum is expected to be the Celtics’ on-court leader, but he has struggled through the first seven games of the Playoffs. He’s averaging 21.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists on 40.7% from the field and 26.8% from three. These numbers should be unacceptable, but the strength of the roster around him has allowed the Celtics to coast through the first round.
They lost Game 2 to the Cavaliers tonight, getting blown out 94-118 at home. Tatum did his part with a 25-point outing, but it was at an inefficient clip. Kristaps Porzingis is expected to miss the second round and the Celtics really missed his presence while being bullied on the inside by Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
Tatum isn’t carrying the Celtics to playoff wins similar to what Jalen Brunson is doing for the Knicks, or even replicating the production of other stars on good teams like Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Anthony Edwards. He’s been missing the mark and needs to step up if the Celtics want to maximize this golden opportunity to get through an injured Eastern Conference.
All four teams remaining in the West are bound to have challenging series’ left, which can’t be said for the Celtics. If they beat the Cavaliers, they face either a Knicks squad without Julius Randle and OG Anunoby, or a Pacers squad that has beaten injured opponents to make it that far.
We know what Tatum is capable of, as he can be the single-best player in the NBA when he’s on song. We haven’t seen it so far in the playoffs, also because he doesn’t need to go off and lead his team the way his contemporaries have to due to the pure strength of the roster, especially the starting five.
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