"Gonna truly kill me" - Evan Turner shares texting Jayson Tatum about rooting for Luka Doncic in NBA Finals
Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic are going head-to-head in the 2024 NBA Finals. Given that both athletes are headlining their teams, former NBA player and Tatum’s former assistant coach, Evan Turner, had already known it would be hard to root against Doncic.
After retiring from the NBA, Turner worked as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics under former coach Brad Stevens. Tatum and Turner likely developed a friendly relationship then.
However, after watching Doncic’s game and his rise, the former NBA player texted Jayson Tatum in 2022, saying:
“Hope you [Jayson Tatum] know it’s gonna truly kill me to root against Luka when y’all play in the finals someday. That’s love."
“Lol gee thanks black man,” Tatum replied.
Later, on the “Point Forward” podcast, Turner said that the few days without NBA games had been bland and he couldn’t wait to watch both stars play against each other. When his co-host, and former NBA champion Andre Iguodala, talked to Turner about one of the teams possibly getting swept in the Finals, Turner replied:
“Moving forward, if you get swept too early, or gentleman sweep, I feel as though the Pacers and Timberwolves should still be playing a four-game series for third place."
While the Celtics have established themselves as the best team in the NBA since the regular season, the Dallas Mavericks are new to the party. However, even if they have emerged late, they command a lethal offense and a great defense that could cause grave problems for the Celtics.
Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic: Career playoffs stat comparison
Both Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum have been the leading players on their teams in the playoffs. In terms of achievements, Tatum has the upper hand, as he has never missed the postseason in his career. Doncic has played six seasons in the league and made the postseason only four times, compared to Tatum’s seven.
In his seven seasons, Jayson Tatum has played 108 playoff games, averaging 24.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He has shot 44.3% from the field and 34.9% from the three-point line. This playoff, Jayson Tatum is averaging 26.0 points per game on 44.2% from the field and 29.0 from beyond the arc.
While Doncic’s team might not have had as much success as Tatum’s, Doncic has been an absolute master. In four playoff seasons, the athlete has played 45 games and averaged 31.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game. He has shot 46.1% from the field and 35.7% from the three-point line. This playoff season, Doncic is averaging 28.8 points, 9.6 assists and 8.8 rebounds per game.