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Boston Celtics champ fires criticism at MVP candidate

By Sam LaFrance

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 11: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the first half of Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden on May 11, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 11: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts during the first half of Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden on May 11, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images) /
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Monday’s 113-93 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers marks the second straight for the Boston Celtics. The game was ugly pretty much from the jump. Boston fell behind early, got back level in the second quarter, and then fell apart before halftime. After getting blown out on national television just two days before, the Celtics did not get the performance from their star that they needed.

Jayson Tatum was ‘mid,’ as the kids say. Sure, he totaled 20 points and 11 rebounds, but he wasn’t very efficient. The 24-year-old made only seven of his 20 attempts from the field, and two of his eight 3-point attempts. Not exactly the type of numbers you’re looking for from an MVP candidate. It also wasn’t exactly the best way to follow what may have been his worst performance of the season against the Golden State Warriors. In Saturday’s loss, Tatum had just 18 points, made only six of his 21 attempts from the field, and two of his nine attempts from deep.

The guy’s been phenomenal this season. Tatum has averaged 30 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, while shooting just under 47% from the field and 35% from downtown. Combine those numbers with Boston’s NBA-best 21-7 record, and you have yourself an MVP candidate. So, if the guy has an off game or two, what are you gonna do? Right?

Boston Celtics champion sounds off on Tatum

Wrong, if you ask Boston Celtics champion Kendrick Perkins.

Big Perk sounded off on Monday’s edition of NBA Today on ESPN, saying,

"“You know what? It’s one thing to have a bad shooting night; everybody goes through that. But to not have it on your mind to come out here and just be pure dominant without Andrew Wiggins being on the floor. From Jayson Tatum talking about how miserable his off-season was because of the way he performed in the finals to him actually going to a post-game interview and saying this game was more meaningful to the fans and the media than it was to him, it made my skin crawl…The narrative is always going to be, until he plays against Golden State again this season, is that no matter what else he does, they’re going to say, ‘oh you don’t go that against Golden State,’ and you wanna get that monkey off your back, and I was just expecting more out of him, from just all aspects of the game, and he didn’t deliver.”"

Perk’s rant came before the embarrassing loss to the Clippers, but he was sure to chime in after that one had been settled, tweeting,

Tatum and the Boston Celtics will have a chance to avenge the last two losses on Tuesday, when they visit the Los Angeles Lakers.

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