Jayson Tatum Breaks Silence Over Boston’s Unusual Behavior as Joe Mazzulla Doubles Down on Celtics Mentality

Imagine a team with 18 championship banners getting booed by their own fans. Hard to picture, right? Well, it’s becoming a reality for the Celtics. The crowd at TD Garden, once feared for making life miserable for visiting teams, is now voicing frustration with their own players. It’s a tough time to be a Boston player, no doubt. Even Jayson Tatum, the heart and soul of the franchise since his debut, has been left scrambling for answers. But it looks like he’s finally starting to find them.

During the post-game press conference after their 120-119 victory against the Pelicans last night, Tatum was asked if there was a lack of energy from the crowd since they were playing the 15th-seeded Western team and almost got defeated by them. The 5-time All-Star quickly dismissed the idea and said, “Oh, no, it’s never from a lack of energy in the building.” To support his point, he recalled a conversation he had with the NOP guard. “I was at the free throw line today and CJ McCullum asked me, he was like, ‘yo, is it always this turned up in here?’ I was like, ‘yeah.'”

Tatum further expressed gratefulness for the energy the crowd brings to the court, whether the Celtics are playing a top-tier opponent or a bottom-tier one. “I think that’s the luxury that we have of playing in front of the best friends in the arena, regardless of if we playing TNT or we playing a team that’s 8 and 30. They bring the passion, they bring the energy,” he stated. “So we always can feed off the crowd and feed off the fans from the finals game to a preseason game. So that’s never in question, the energy that we can get from the crowd.”

Although Tatum denied it, the crowd has seemed relatively off lately, and the team has had a lot to do with it. After the impressive run they had last season, many feel they haven’t been showing the same effort. While facing the Pelicans, who had only eight wins on the season, the Celtics didn’t look like a dominant team. So, it seems the crowd’s reaction is justified. However, replicating such performances back-to-back is challenging. Once a high standard is set, expectations naturally follow. But what mindset are the defending champs carrying? Head coach Joe Mazzulla gives us some insight into that.

Joe Mazzulla sheds light on Jayson Tatum and Co.’s mindset

Last night, the Celtics missed a couple of point-blank shots, which can sometimes weigh on the mental state, especially when dealing with a lower shooting season. Moreover, they were not meeting the expectations. In their last ten games, they lost four. That can certainly take a toll on some players. Mazzulla himself was quite disappointed with his offensive players, including Jayson Tatum, who was struggling to score consistent points.

“We have to have the mental toughness to continue to work through that and find ways to win without it,” Mazzulla said in last night’s presser. In fact, the 36-year-old is taking all the criticism as a compliment. “I would say the ultimate compliment is we’re 28-11, and this is the types of conversations that we’re having. So it’s a beautiful place to be in.” In case you think he isn’t serious, he actually clarified that he is.

“I think it’s great. It’s a great standard and a great expectation to have, and we have to deliver,” Mazzulla said. “And so we all know that, and that’s the process towards it. But when you’re, what are we, the third team in the league right now, which, you know, isn’t great, but look at the fifth. Sounds like a Morgue in here. And that’s how it should be because of where we’re trying to get to.”

The Celtics are currently sitting in second place in the East and third overall, yet they’re facing critical opinions for not fully living up to the high standard they’ve set for themselves. Joe Mazzulla noted that all the team needs to do now is meet those expectations. If they do, perhaps the TD Garden crowd will return to showing the same love they’ve given the team for decades.