You don’t always get a second chance – Jayson Tatum ahead of the NBA finals

Two years ago, the Boston Celtics were in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors but they had come short, losing the series by 4-2. The Celtics are once again in the NBA finals and will take on the Dallas Mavericks.

The team’s talisman Jayson Tatum said they got to learn a lot from their 2021-22 finals loss and make the most of this second chance. The Celtics are the joint most successful team in NBA history with 17 championships, along with Los Angeles Lakers.

Thus, the finals will be a great opportunity to bag the 18th title and edge ahead in the race.

“It’s a lot that myself, and we, can learn from that experience being in the Finals, and this time, this go-around is a lot different,” Tatum said after Saturday’s practice. “Obviously, we’ve been there before, we came up short. And a great opportunity to make it to the Finals again. You don’t always get a second chance, so really just looking at it as a second chance and trying to simplify things as much as we can.

“It’s another series that we gotta win.”

The Celtics had clean swept the Indiana Pacers by 4-0 in the Eastern Conference finals and they will look to keep the good show against the in-form Mavericks.

Meanwhile, Tatum also played alongside Kyrie Irving, who would be playing for the Mavericks. Tatum admitted it was a great learning curve for him as a rookie to share the court with the superstar.

“Obviously there were some ups and downs, but I think, for me, being a first-, second-year player, being around a superstar, essentially, every day and seeing how to navigate that space,” Tatum said, “and then obviously on the court, he’s one of the most talented guys I’ve ever seen.

“So it seems like a very long time ago, but I’ve got a lot of great memories from having [Irving] as a teammate.”

The first game of the NBA finals will be played on June 6th.