Tatum using Finals loss as motivation: 'I still think about it every day' originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics had a terrific 2021-22 season, but the painful loss to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals will stick with the players for a long time.
Jayson Tatum included.
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How long will it take for the superstar forward to put the disappointing Finals result in the rearview mirror and move on?
Celtics player spotlight: Jayson Tatum has one more big leap to make
"It takes a long time. I still think about it every day," Tatum admitted Saturday when talking to reporters at the Las Vegas NBA Summer League. "Probably until the season’s started, or until we get back to the championship, I guess."
How will the outcome of the Finals impact Tatum's approach to the offseason?
"To know how hard it is to get there, how much harder it is to get over that hump," Tatum said. "I've got to be better coming in next year, we’re obviously trying to get back (to the NBA Finals)."
Tatum played OK in the Finals but failed to live up to the elite standard we saw from him throughout most of the playoffs. He averaged 21.5 points, seven assists and 6.8 rebounds, while shooting 36.7 percent from the field in six games versus the Warriors. He averaged at least 25 points per game in each of the three previous playoff rounds.
Losing in the Finals often is a powerful motivator, so we should expect to see an improved and determined Tatum when the 2022-23 campaign begins in October. The Celtics have also made some substantial roster improvements since the 2022 playoffs ended, highlighted by the additions of Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari.
