Starting 5: Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum perplexed by media for picking Mavs to win NBA Finals in Netflix series

TJ Morin

Starting 5: Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum perplexed by media for picking Mavs to win NBA Finals in Netflix series image

Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum was pretty confused by the media before the Celtics played the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals, revealed in the Netflix documentary Starting 5. He couldn’t tell if the media was trolling or not. 

“It was just every day I turn the TV on, it was, you know, there was just a lot of debates and speculations and people giving ‘hot takes’,” said Tatum. “People have their own opinions. I don’t understand why. I didn’t know, for lack of a better term, if they were trolling”. 

Tatum also felt disrespected personally by the media saying he wouldn’t perform in the Finals at all due to pressure. 

“Slightly disrespectful takes, about me or about what I’ve accomplished, or what they think I can or can't do, or they really thought the Mavs were gonna beat us.” 

However, Tatum started to like being counted out. It made become something he hadn’t been in a long time; an underdog. 

“It was just ‘Jayson Tatum, Jayson Tatum, Jayson Tatum’ every day, but I guess it felt good to be the underdog. First time in a while.

The Celtics went on to beat the Mavs in a Gentleman’s Sweep, 4-1. It was exactly 16 years from the last time the team won in 2008.

 

MORE CELTICS CONTENT: 

Starting 5: Anthony Edwards shares his thoughts on Jayson Tatum in Netflix series

Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown gives insight on how he feels about the media narrative surrounding him

Celtics are looking like the same team from last year after first two preseason games

Celtics GM thinks the Celtics have the best veteran leadership in the NBA

ESPN releases win projections for Celtics in 2024-25

TJ Morin

TJ Morin Photo

TJ Morin is a Sports Media graduate of Butler University. When he isn’t writing, or arguing about sports, he’s sitting on the couch with his dad cheering for one of their various teams, the Washington Commanders, the Boston Celtics, the Boston Red Sox, the Virginia Cavaliers and the Butler Bulldogs. TJ can be found ranting about them on X @_Big_3_Sports_.