Jayson Tatum jammed for 36 points, grabbed 12 boards, snagged three steals, and sank a killer three at the end. But he still needed Jaylen Brown to bail him and Boston out in Gm. 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. Jrue Holiday´s 28 points did some heavy lifting for the C´s, on top of his stifling D to shut down up-and-coming 24-year-old Tyrese Haliburton. Indy head honcho Rick Carlisle took the blame for not calling a timeout with eight seconds left to advance the ball and avoid a deadly turnover by Haliburton that gave Boston new life.
By the way, Boston finished Gm. 1 with 11 tasty steals—three each by Brown, Holiday, and Tatum. The C´s sailed into NBA playoff history by becoming the first team to register three players with 25 points and three steals in a single game.
Do Fans Have the Right to Hate Players?
https://gty.im/1437777519
Former Celtic Eddie House jumped to Jayson´s side to defend his alleged disappearance in the fourth quarter. Soon after, Tatum scored 10 points in the overtime session, the second-highest total ever for a Boston player, to seal the deal. Yet Tatum still received a bunch of ´hate´ messages on social media. You might begrudge the big guy because he´s making millions, but that´s a fact of modern life, given the way pro sports have evolved.
On the other hand, Tatum has been a loyal Celtic for a full seven dazzling years, and he´s arguably the biggest star for the franchise since Paul Pierce and cohorts last won their rings in 2008. Of course, it´s nice to have a certain Jaylen Brown as your trusty sidekick, especially when Jayson goes cold and Brown´s there to do the bailing (like in Gm. 2 with 40 points). Jaylen´s corner three to miraculously tie the game in regulation as the clock expired was nothing short of a swishing masterpiece for the Boston faithful.
House suited up for the Celts back in the glory days of 2007-8. He knows a thing or two about playing alongside superstars like Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, also known as the Big Three in Beantown The NBA vet is well aware of the heat that the top, well-paid players can feel, in particular when they don´t meet the lofty expectations of diehard fans. According to Justin Leger of NBC Sports, House exclaimed after the first Indy game in TD Garden:
Showing up any time is better than showing up no time. So I’m cool with that. Don’t forget, against the Pacers this year, we´re 4-2 in six matchups. Jayson is averaging 30 points and 10 rebounds. I don’t know what more people want out of somebody. I mean, I know that it doesn’t look pretty, it doesn’t show up the way you would want it to, but he showed up at the right time.
Tatum, Brown, and Holiday Have All Felt the Pressure
https://gty.im/1334105326
Surely Tatum felt some of that pressure very early on, growing up on the mean streets of St. Louis. His mother, Brandy Cole, gave birth to the future NBA astro as a teen in 1998. When Jayson was just 11, his mom´s small house (that she had skimped and saved for) was foreclosed. Bills went unpaid for months; now and then, the utilities were turned off. For a few years, Tatum slept in the same bed as his mom. There was even a period when they didn’t have any furniture at all. But the hard work paid off, for both mother and son.
Tatum’s high school coach at Chaminade College Preparatory School in Creve Coeur, Frank Bennett, recalled Jayson’s budding work ethic:
I get to school about 6:30 every day, and he was here at 5:45, 6 o’clock at the latest, getting his work in. What’s impressive is he did it every… single… day! I remember the only day he took off. It was the day after we won state. That was his only day off. That is just him. He just worked and worked and worked and worked.
What Can Boston Improve, Especially Off the Court?
https://gty.im/1246437590
Jaylen Brown has talked openly in the past about how some Boston fans treat Black players negatively. Specifically, in a talk with Sopan Deb of the N.Y. Times, Jaylen admitted he´s suffered. The star said:
I have, but I pretty much block it all out. It’s not the whole Celtic fan base, but it is a part of the fan base that exists within the Celtic nation that is problematic. If you have a bad game, they tie it to your personal character.
In May, 2021, Brown opened up to ESPN´s Tim Bontemps about the systemic racism he sees in Boston. Obviously, not many fans are openly racist. But Jaylen emphasized the need to work hard on the inequality that exists in the city´s education system, as well as tokenism and wealth disparity.
Where will the haters be when Tatum, Brown, and Holiday bring home an 18th NBA title to hang in those hallowed Boston rafters?
In the words of the famous Madonna hit:
Let love shineAnd we will findA way to come together, can make things betterWe need a holiday
Every team needs a Jrue Holiday. But all puns aside: let´s find a way to get rid of the hate, and come to celebrate our diversity and triumph in it.
Get More Great Content
Of course, veteran hoops writer Will Beebe admits he´s a bit biased towards Boston after supporting them all his life. His recent book, Soccer Giants of Brazil: One American´s Take on Samba Soccer Culture, is now on Amazon. | www.soccergaintsofbrazil.com | Connect with Will on X: @WABeebe11
Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports.
