A year after losing to the New York Knicks in the playoffs, you’d think Jayson Tatum is rooting against his Atlantic Division rival in the NBA Finals. However, the Boston Celtics star admittedly does not have a horse in the race as the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs do battle for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
A day after Jalen Brunson and Co. pulled off the largest comeback in NBA Finals history, Tatum shared his true feelings on the Knicks vs Spurs series.
“I watched last night — that was a pretty special game,” Tatum told Front Office Sports’ Dan Roberts when asked if he watched the epic Game 4.
When asked if “it hurts” to see the Knicks in the NBA Finals, Tatum had a rather interesting response, offering insight into his secure mindset.
“I’m not rooting for anybody, I’m also not rooting against anybody,” he responded.
“I think it does help that I’ve won a championship already, so helps me sleep a little better at night. But I just enjoy watching good basketball games,” he added.
Jayson Tatum on ‘Face of the NBA’
Many analysts feel Victor Wembanyama has firmly established himself as the new face of the league. In just his third year, the 7-foot-5 phenom has guided the Spurs to the NBA Finals while shattering viewership and ratings records. However, Tatum does not feel Wemby or any one player is the solitary face of the NBA.
“I think the NBA is in an amazing place right now,” he responded.
“There are five or six guys who have their own brand, signature shoes and have competed for championships. These are guys that kids around the world are drawn to. I think it’s a really good balance.
“If you ask 10 different people, you might get eight different answers. I think that’s a good thing — just the balance throughout the league and talented the NBA is right now.”
Knicks Take 3-1 NBA Finals Lead
As Tatum enjoys “good basketball” from his couch, the Knicks have the opportunity to close out the Spurs on Saturday and capture their first NBA title since 1973.
Although the Spurs are 5.5-point betting favorites, many analysts feel the Knicks have the psychological edge after completing a 29-point comeback in Game 4.
As the Spurs try to become just the second team to overcome a 3-1 NBA Finals deficit, star guard Stephon Castle said his team is taking a one-game-at-a-time approach.
“…We still have belief in each other and confidence that we’re going to win the next game,” he said after the Game 4 collapse.
“It’s still first to four. Coach Mitch said it best: We’ve pretty much dictated the winner or loser of all of these games. I think us finishing games and trying to maintain our leads has been tough for us.”
Knicks vs Spurs Game 5 tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.
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