The Boston Celtics have lost the Finals after surrendering Game 6 to the Warriors, 103-90.
The main issue that plagued Boston was turnovers. In Game 6, Boston coughed the ball up 22 times, and Golden State took advantage of Boston’s mistakes by scoring 27 points off the turnovers. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart combined for 13 turnovers. The Celtics are winless in the playoffs when they turn the ball over at least 15 times.
“I think just our level of poise at times throughout this series and previous series, myself included, taking care of the ball, things like that. But it’s easy to look back and see all the things you could have done better. We tried. I know that for a fact.” Tatum said.
According to Statmuse, Tatum committed a postseason record of 100 turnovers.
Jayson Tatum is the first player in NBA history with 100 turnovers in a single postseason. pic.twitter.com/Jd7PKvYHCJ
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 17, 2022
Tatum finished the season-ending loss with 13 points, seven rebounds, and three assists on 31.7 percent from the field with 23 overall turnovers in the Finals.
In 18 games, the 24-year-old averaged 27 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. Tatum’s memorable playoff run ended with him becoming the youngest player in playoff history to post 600 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in a single postseason.
Led by Tatum, the Celtics went on a revenge tour through the East, beating the Nets, Bucks, and Heat as he won the inaugural Larry Bird Trophy and led the Celtics to their first Finals appearance since 2010.
“It’s hard getting to this point, and it’s even harder getting over the hump and winning it,” Tatum said about the lessons he learned from the playoff run.
Tatum had a crazy playoff run:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 17, 2022
— 1st in points
— 1st in assists
— ECF MVP
— Youngest ever with 600/100/100
— Beat KD, Giannis, Jimmy
— Dropped 46 down 3-2 at Bucks
— Dropped 13 assists in Finals debut
— Won 2 Game 7s
Head high. pic.twitter.com/Sc5w4gSoHK
This was the first Finals run of Tatum’s young career, and hopefully, it won’t be the last. Tatum and Brown have proven to be a dangerous duo at the wing. The core of Boston’s group is under contract next season, Tatum, Brown, and Smart made history as the first trio to finish a Finals game with at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Michael Cooper did it in 1984.
Boston’s most glaring issue heading into next season will be finding a dynamic point guard or developing Smart to the point that he can make Tatum and Brown’s jobs easier as all-around wings.
“They won and we lost. We did it to ourselves. For sure, we had opportunities to go up and win,” Brown said per The Boston Herald. “I guess we’ve shown our immaturity at times, and it stings. Still a young group. Still got a lot to learn. Nothing to hang our head about. Tough day for Boston. Tough day for the Celtics. Yeah, I don’t know what to say.”
