NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. WARRIORS

June 5, 2022

Jayson Tatum

Boston Celtics

Game 2: Postgame

Warriors 107, Celtics 88

Q. Jayson, obviously in Game 1 you had the really big assist night. Tonight your shot was going a lot more. Did you feel like you were getting different looks tonight, that maybe that's why you were shooting more? Was there a difference in what they were doing that made you be a little bit more of a scorer than a playmaker tonight?

JAYSON TATUM: No, I don't think so. I felt like a lot of shots I missed last game were shots I normally make, and a lot of shots I got today, they were just falling. They were falling tonight and they weren't last game.

Q. Draymond seemed to get going. He drew a bunch of fouls on you, Jaylen. Seemed like he was trying to punk you guys early and just show the physicality. Did you notice that, and did you guys get caught up too much in the officiating? And then why the sloppiness with the ball?

JAYSON TATUM: Yeah, I mean, obviously we know what Draymond brings to the game. I love that about him. Obviously I played with him. We tried to match that. I just kind of felt like we weren't getting the benefit of the doubt when we were trying to play with that physicality.

We do got to take better care of the ball. They got a lot of points off that, off our turnovers. That's something we've got to be better for next game because we know throughout the Playoffs, the games that we have high turnovers, we kind of result to a loss.

That's definitely a point of emphasis, taking care of the ball for next game.

Q. You said yesterday you guys just have to go out and actually play better in the third quarter. You can't really just talk about it. Obviously it was a struggle again today. What do you see as the recurring issues that come up that keep you guys from being able to have the success there that you want?

JAYSON TATUM: I think tonight turnovers and I think sometimes letting our offense affect how we defend. We were a little stagnant in the third quarter, and I feel like it translated on the defensive end. They got going and hitting shots and things like that.

Q. You've been better on the road than at home in these Playoffs. What has to change for you guys to be able to hold home court as you get back there, getting at least what you wanted here, getting one of these two games at Golden State?

JAYSON TATUM: Just playing with a sense of urgency, I think. Human nature plays a part when you go on the road. Obviously it's a tough environment. I feel like recently we've kind of relaxed at home. Whether we thought because we had home-court advantage, we came out a little more relaxed. Just having that sense of urgency, knowing that we're at home, but that we need to play better at home.

Q. Do turnovers start to get contagious a little bit? When one guy is struggling, does it feed into the other guys? You guys have talked about it a lot; was it something that they did that pushed you into more turnovers or is it a mindset for you guys to be more careful?

JAYSON TATUM: It's just kind of as simple as we've just got to take care of the ball. We've done it, and we're a really good team when we take care of the ball. But we have those lapses where we, snowball effect, we pile on turnovers and dig ourselves into a hole.

Q. It was a first-half drive, got bumped, didn't get the call. On a second-half drive, looked like you thought they called a foul, you stopped and they didn't and then Golden State got a run-out. How do you keep your head level when it's probably you're not going to get the calls you want or you think? It seemed like a lot of guys were frustrated with the lack of calls? How do you keep level heads and not let it spill into other aspects of the game?

JAYSON TATUM: You've just got to be aware. I think I've been doing a better job. I finished the season with 13 techs. I remember I think I had like 13 techs with six games left or something like that, and Ime and Brad and everybody like that was telling me I got to relax. I don't know if I got a tech during the Playoffs yet. I might have one, if that, so I've got to pat myself on the back. I've been doing a lot better in that aspect, trying to leave the refs alone regardless of what's going on.