Jayson Tatum took the Boston fans back in time as the Celtics claimed the championship at the TD Garden after 16 years. The arena was buzzing with cheers in 2008 as the fans celebrated their 17th title on the same day. However, the only difference is that at the time, it was Kevin Garnett who got the crowd hyped, but this time around it was Tatum.
After the Boston Celtics dominated the Dallas Mavericks, the team was getting ready for their celebrations. Jayson Tatum led the team with a double-double to win the first championship of his career.
ESPN’s sideline reporter Lisa Salters caught Tatum in the chaos and asked him his feelings about the first title of his career. Tatum exclaimed in disbelief as he recreated Kevin Garnett‘s iconic moment.
Oh my god. It's a surreal feeling. We did it. We did it!Jayson Tatum said
KG had a similar moment back in 2008, where he screamed ‘anything is possible‘ during the sideline interview. Tatum’s moment mirrored Garnett’s in many ways, as it marked his first title as well. Both championships ended long droughts for their teams—Garnett’s after 22 years. Like Garnett, Tatum found himself at a loss for words, overwhelmed by the significance of the achievement.
The 2008 Celtics also had a great regular season run like the current one, but the team struggled at the beginning of the playoffs. However, that was not the case for the 2024 team. The team only lost three games in the entire postseason and also won the title in five games. After coming so close for the past few years, Tatum’s reaction was only natural.
Kevin Garnett knew the value of Jayson Tatum’s first championship win
Tatum was in the finals just a couple of years ago but lost to the Golden State Warriors. The forward’s close calls in the past years have created controversies for his reputation during this entire season. Many including Draymond Green, even claimed that his lack of championship is coming in the way of his MVP award.
For Garnett also, it took many years to win his first title despite being a talented player in the league. As the Celtics reached the finals, Garnett on KG Certified discussed the importance of a championship in Tatum’s resume. According to KG, the win would separate Tatum from the rest of the crowd.
It’s a thousand n****s that I think I’m better than, but at the end of the day, they’re going to ask, ‘Man, what’d he win?’ If you ain’t win nothing, they’re gonna put you in a certain conversation and that’s just how it go…If Jayson Tatum and the Celtics win this year, it's officially lit.Kevin Garnett said
Garnett was right: winning a championship at 26 will elevate Tatum into a different conversation. The star has faced substantial criticism for his performance and missed out on all the MVP awards this season. Therefore, securing the title will be immensely significant for Tatum, validating his prowess and silencing his critics.
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