"It took some time to kind of get out of that funk and just kind of enjoy my life" - Boston Celtics All-Star reveals he was devastated after losing NBA Finals to Golden State Warriors
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum had arguably the best season of his NBA career while leading the franchise to the NBA Finals. However, his first trip to the Finals ended in disappointment as the Golden State Warriors won the series in six games.
Speaking to "The Bleacher Report's" Taylor Rooks, the forward spoke about dealing with the Finals loss. Tatum said he was miserable after suffering defeat and that it took him time to enjoy life again with his son and family.
"You know, those three, four days afterward, I was miserable. I really, really was. And it took some time to kind of get out of that funk and just kind of enjoy my life, enjoy being around my son and my family. I didn’t have an appetite. I didn’t want to talk to anybody. I didn’t want to go anywhere," Tatum said.
Jayson Tatum also said his body language might seem laid back, but he is genuinely invested in the game. He said the Finals loss hurts even more because of that.
"I feel like sometimes I come off so laid back that I don’t know if people understand how much I invest into this game, how much I care, how much I work. ... But [losing] was just so tough because I literally gave everything that I had. And to feel like I ran out, that I didn’t have anything left to give, and we were so close," Tatum said.
"I was miserable"
Jayson Tatum opens up on the aftermath of losing the NBA Finals during live interview with Taylor Rooks in B/R app
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Recapping Tatum's performance in the NBA Finals for the Boston Celtics
This year's NBA postseason saw Jayson Tatum elevate himself into one of the premier two-way players in the league. The Boston Celtics star's offensive brilliance was always evident, but his defense improved in this year's Playoffs.
During the 2022 NBA Finals, Tatum averaged 21.5 points, 7 assists and 6.8 rebounds per game. He shot better than 45% from the perimeter but 36.7% from the field. His efficiency from the free-throw line also dipped, shooting less than 66% from the line, despite being a career 84.4% shooter.
Jayson Tatum FG% this Finals:
— 34.1% overall
— 26.5% in 2nd half
— 25.0% in 4th quarter https://t.co/zcfilrO32h
These were poor numbers from the Boston Celtics forward. Jaylen Brown had to step up and will the team forward on the offensive end in the NBA Finals. However, defensively, Tatum was elite, averaging 1.2 steals per game.
Either way, this was an NBA Finals to forget for Jayson Tatum. The Boston Celtics gave up a 2-1 lead in the series, losing in six games. However, the forward is still only 23 years old and may have plenty of chances to improve his performance.