Jayson Tatum has publicly accepted blame for his poor performance in the Boston Celtics' 0-2 series deficit against the New York Knicks, vowing improvement for Saturday's crucial Game 3. Tatum addressed his shooting woes during Thursday's media availability following team film sessions.
Tatum has shot just 29% from the field (12-of-42) and 25% from three-point range (5-of-20) through two games. He has attempted only nine free throws while committing eight turnovers in the series. Tatum had a PER of 29.1 in the first round and just 11.2 in the first two games of the second round.
"I take full ownership of the way that I've played in this series and can't sugarcoat anything," Tatum said Thursday. "I need to be better, and I expect to be a lot better."
The Celtics have collectively struggled from beyond the arc, converting only 25% of their three-point attempts (25-of-100). This marks a significant departure from their regular-season shooting performance that helped them secure 61 wins.
Fourth Quarter Execution Problems
Tatum and teammate Jaylen Brown have been particularly ineffective in clutch situations, shooting a combined 2-of-19 in fourth quarters. The Knicks have outscored Boston by 22 points in final quarters, overcoming 20-point deficits in both games.
Joe Mazzulla acknowledged Tatum's accountability while emphasizing team-wide responsibility. "It's a credit to [Tatum], I don't think that I appreciate the fact that he would [take responsibility], but I think it's on everybody," Mazzulla said.
Thursday's film session focused on maintaining confidence and aggressive play despite shooting struggles. The team specifically addressed not passing up open shots that fit within their offensive system.
"You can't lose your confidence," Tatum stated, reinforcing the approach that helped Boston capture last season's championship and set three-point shooting records.
The Celtics also face uncertainty regarding center Kristaps Porzingis, who has been limited by respiratory issues. Porzingis played just 14 minutes in Game 3 despite contributing eight points and four rebounds in his limited action.
