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Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum is no stranger to criticism.
However, after the Celtics blew multiple 20-point leads and dropped Games 1 and 2 to the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, it felt like the outside noise was louder than ever.
In spite of the seemingly nonstop backlash, the reigning NBA champion remained even-keeled on Saturday afternoon during a 115-93 Game 3 win at Madison Square Garden.
While many players would've used online criticism as fuel to “play angry,” Tatum approached Game 3 with a smile, via Celtics in-house writer Taylor Snow.
“It’s just a sense of joy that I play with,” he revealed. “Coming into a game with an angry face and mad at the world, that’s not who I am. It’s not when I play my best. So I always say you’ve got to be the same person if things are going great and when things aren’t going great. You can’t switch up. That’s the character of a good man.”
Jayson Tatum: "Coming into a game with an angry face and mad at the world, that’s not who I am. That’s not when I play my best … You gotta be the same person when things are going great & when things aren’t going great. You can’t switch up. That’s the character of a good man." pic.twitter.com/2ULGlhiZPg
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) May 10, 2025
Although Tatum wasn't dejected heading into Game 3, he understood what was at stake and the gravity of the Celtics' situation. No NBA team has ever trailed 0-3 and gone on to win the series, so losing on Saturday would've essentially been a death sentence for the 2024-25 Celtics.
How the Celtics bounced back against the Knicks in Game 3
As a result, Tatum and company came out firing. The C's quickly jumped out to a 16-point lead after draining six of their seven attempts from deep in the first quarter, with Tatum contributing a pair of 3-point makes. A double-digit cushion would normally be comforting, yet the Celtics had sizable leads in Games 1 and 2 before squandering them down the stretch.
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Jayson Tatum buries it from DEEP 🎯pic.twitter.com/XRDoc4b0Pg
— Celtics Nation (@CelticsNationCP) May 10, 2025
Game 3 was a different story, as Boston pushed the lead to 31 (its biggest of the series) in the third quarter and defended New York well enough in the second half to close out the win. Tatum finished with 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists while shooting 40% from the floor, his best field goal conversion rate of the series. His five made triples in Game 3 matched his total from Games 1 and 2.
“I get a lot of praise,” Tatum began. “I get a lot of credit. I get a lot of accolades. But I’m not perfect, and there’s times where I’ve needed to play better. I’ve needed to do more. And that comes with being ‘that guy.'”
Tatum looked more like the go-to guy Boston needs in Game 3, but there's still room for improvement. The Knicks lead the second-round series 2-1 and have outscored the Celtics in every fourth quarter.
The Boston Celtics have led for…
35 minutes, 44 seconds in Game 1
45 minutes, 21 seconds in Game 2
47 minutes, 13 seconds in Game 3And still trail the Knicks in the series, 2-1.
———
The Knicks have led for…
10 minutes, 23 seconds in Game 1
1 minute, 53 seconds in Game 2
0…— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) May 10, 2025
If Boston can dominate the 3-point battle like it did on Saturday, as it hit 15 more triples than its Eastern Conference foe, and limit New York's opportunities on the offensive glass, it can even the series. Yet, as Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla frequently emphasizes, what's necessary for winning is constantly changing, and what might win a Game 3 could be less significant in a Game 4.
No matter what, Tatum will greet Game 4 with joy and try to lead his team to another victory on the road on Monday night.
“You just understand what comes with being ‘that guy,'” Tatum said of the criticism he faces. “I live a great life, I ain’t going to lie. I make a lot of money, I take care of my family, I’ve been able to experience a lot of things, but you also have to accept what comes with that, right?”
