It’s tempting to contrast Jayson Tatum, a star for the Boston Celtics, with Paul Pierce, another Boston native. Their ability to get a shot up at any moment makes them extremely hazardous to deal with when the game is on the line. also are lethal scoring forwards who can put the ball in the hoop from all three levels. They also have incredible ball handling for their size.
But Pierce himself notes that Tatum is a very different player from him, especially when it comes to their journey to title contention. Speaking to reporters during the Celtics’ training camp, The Truth shed some light on what makes Tatum’s path different from his.
“I really didn’t have the same route that he’s been through…Our [Celtics] team was put together & we won instantly. They’re going the traditional route, where you have your bumps in the road and you figure it out and have to get over the hump,” Pierce said, per Celtics on CLNS, via ClutchPoints Twitter.
This is a good point from Paul Pierce; his championship-winning 2008 Celtics team pulled off the most remarkable single-season turnaround in NBA history, going from 24 to 66 wins thanks to the additions of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. The adversity for that team came after winning the championship, although Pierce may be discrediting the path he took by saying it pales in comparison to that of Tatum’s.
For one, The Truth had to face postseason difficulties in the early 2000s, even making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2002 behind an impressive effort from the Celtics’ youngsters, Pierce included. The 2008 Celtics’ famed big three all went through adversity in the early 2000s, so it’s not like they were born with a silver spoon and waltzed their way to the title.
Nevertheless, what sets Jayson Tatum apart, according to Pierce, is that he’s been so close to winning the championship, falling short to the Golden State Warriors in six games during the 2022 NBA Finals. This, however, should just fuel Tatum entering the 2023-24 season.
“I’m sure he’s hungrier than ever because he’s felt what it tastes like to be in the Finals. He’s felt what it tastes like to be so close,” Pierce added.
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