(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Many people expected the Boston Celtics to storm past the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Instead, Cleveland secured a surprising road victory and evened the series to 1-1.
On Friday’s “First Take” Stephen A. Smith questioned Jays Tatum, asking, “What the hell is going on?”
.@stephenasmith doesn’t know “what the hell is going on” with Jayson Tatum
“These numbers that I’m seeing from him are the worst that we’ve seen from him in the postseason since 2019. With the expectations elevating, he seems to have taken a decline.” pic.twitter.com/Mq2f33IB2a
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 10, 2024
Over the last five games, Tatum has averaged 20.2 points, which is his fewest in a postseason over a five-game span since the 2019 playoffs.
Smith believes Tatum should carry much of the blame for Thursday’s loss.
He said that he is the leader of the Celtics and should be the one who is stepping up when the team needs him most.
The playoffs are a time when teams are supposed to rise to the occasion and play the best basketball of the season.
That is only possible if they have a definitive leader.
In Boston, that is supposed to be Tatum, but Smith claims he isn’t showing up.
The expectations are so high for the Celtics that they need to make it to at least the Finals.
If they don’t, there will be many people questioning the assembly of this team.
Even with all the talent they have, they have fallen short multiple times before, and this year is supposed to be theirs.
But if they are playing as they did during Game 2, that doesn’t seem likely.
Tatum has a chance to redeem himself in the eyes of Smith and others.
When Game 3 rolls around, it’ll be interesting to see how he plays.
Will he bounce back and shake off this five-game slump or will he continue to not deliver what the Celtics need?
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