Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum Gives Respect After Defeating Miami Heat In First Round

Shandel Richardson | May 2, 2024

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has seen a lot of the Miami Heat over the past five years.

For the second time during that period, Tatum knocked the Heat out of the postseason. After Wednesday's victory in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, he gave his true thoughts on what it's been like facing the Heat over the years.

"I think it's like my fourth time in five years playing in the playoffs," Tatum said. "I was thinking when they were trying to figure out the standings in the last week or so, I just had it in my mind we were going to play Miami." 

The Celtics defeated the Heat 4-1 in the series. Last year the Heat upended the top-seeded in the conference finals before they were defeated by the Denver Nuggets in the Finals. Tatum said playing against their biggest rival may help them remainder of the playoffs.

"I wanted to play Miami in a sense, maybe last year playing against Atlanta we might have relaxed a little bit," Tatum said. "But knowing the history with Miami and how they play and how well coached they are, for a first-round matchup regardless of the seed, we were going to have to be ready to play, be ready to fight." 

The Celtics will either play against the Cleveland Cavaliers or Orlando in the second round. They feel defeating the Heat could help them to win their first championship under the core of Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.