Jayson Tatum Reveals Key to Celtics Avoiding Another Game 2 Let Down

Sam LaFrance | May 23, 2024

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum. / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics will look to take a 2-0 lead over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday. A win would mark their first victory in a Game 2 of the current playoff run.

They failed to taek a 2-0 lead in each of their first two playoff series, falling to both the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers at home.

Celtics star Jayson Tatum is hoping that things will turn out differently in the current round against the Pacers. Following Tuesday's Game 1 win, he told reporters that he and his teammates need to carry a "don't relax" mindset into the matchup.

“I think I come with the mindset of, ‘Don’t relax.’ And different circumstances," Tatum explained. "First two rounds, we won our first Game 1 by a wide margin. Maybe human nature played a factor into that. But tonight being a close game, going into overtime, they certainly feel like they probably should have won, and we feel like we can play a lot better. So, I’m excited for us to come out and respond and just do a better job of protecting home-court than we have done recently.”

Tatum raised a good point in his postgame statement. Boston didn't look quite like themselves in Game 1, yet still managed to win. This has been a team that, all season, has gone and looked to make improvements on a game-by-game basis. As they've looked at film in the time between games, they've surely found plenty of things that they'll be able to tighten up ahead of Game 2.

For example, the Celtics were putrid towards the end of quarters in the series opener. They were a combined -18 in the final three minutes of quarters 1-3. Had they just been slightly better, the outcome may not have had to be as stressful as it was. Typically the end of a quarter is a great chance to solidify whatever lead you've built.

Fans can catch Game 2 live on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET.