Jayson Tatum did not shoot like a superstar in the second-round opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, not the Boston Celtics needed him to in a 120-95 Game 1 win.
Tatum finished 7-of-19 from the floor and missed all five of his three-point attempts. The Boston forward has had his fair share of postseason struggles game-to-game, though the depth of this Celtics team allows the group to stay on schedule. With that said, how much of a problem for the Celtics is the occasional off-night from Tatum?
If you ask ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, it’s significant, especially in potential alter rounds where the Celtics need Tatum against superior Western Conference talent in a contentious playoff picture.
“It’s supposed to be Boston’s time,” Smith shared on “First Take” on Wednesday. “… Nothing less than a championship is going to be acceptable. Nothing less than greatness is going to be expected from Jayson Tatum, especially when we see guys younger than him putting their greatness on display. You cannot struggle and not answer the call to a point where it’s going to cost you a championship.”
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The capable presence of Derrick White and Jaylen Brown picked up Tatum as the Celtics rolled in the second half to a 25-point win. Moving forward, Smith expects more of the Celtics superstar.
“You, Jayson Tatum, you cannot be the reason this team doesn’t capture the chip,” Smith added.
The Celtics look to stay hot against Cleveland in Game 2 at TD Garden on Thursday night.
Featured image via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
