Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum believes the team became relaxed and has played more free since going down 3-0 vs. the Miami Heat.
(via CLNS Media):
Gary Washburn: “Jayson, what’s happened to this team in the last 72 hours? Obviously, Game 3 was a low point. Everybody was down. But how did you flip the switch team-wise in the locker room with Joe [Mazzulla]? Why do you guys look like such a different team?”
Tatum: “Yeah, I mean, Game 3, that was as low as you can be, right? The good part about being that low is you only can play better. It’s only up from there. I think part of it was just being down 3-0, you understand how that’s never been done, all the talk about that. It kinda gave us a sense of just like, ‘Everybody’s counting us out. You know the way we’re supposed to win. We’re supposed to be done.’ And I think we started to play a little bit more free, relaxed. Obviously, our defensive intensity, being connected on the defensive end, that showed these last two games, and then offensively I think guys are just relaxed and really just taking it one game at a time, knowing we have this uphill battle to overcome. But I really feel like guys have just kinda taken a deep breath. In that locker room after Game 3 was the lowest you could be, and I think everybody just kinda relaxed, honestly.”
