The Boston Celtics waited sixteen years to achieve a record 18th franchise title. Still, the sense of satisfaction in the building didn’t exist. In the following months of the summer, Jaylen Brown didn’t get an Olympic nod. And Jayson Tatum, even though in Paris, spent much of his time watching. The man who can be pinned for their burning drive could be Steve Kerr, isn’t it?

The Team USA boss admitted to feeling like an “idiot” for not finding minutes for JT. Yet in the following games, the 9x champion didn’t repair the issue! No doubt the intentions were never to put the 2024 NBA champion in a bad spotlight. However, that’s what happened because of the nature of the NBA fans, and it had the C’s ace wanting to prove the cryptic noises wrong.

So even after a glorious spell that included a Jordan Brand China tour, an NBA title, and an Olympic gold, Jayson Tatum got to work. There was a “mechanical issue” with his shot and to fix it, the hoopster did two workouts a day. But his desperation to find a fix didn’t even let him rest.

“Jayson had landed back from China and was in the gym at 6 o’clock in the morning. And I asked him about it before the, I go, what were you doing? Like, are you, are you that motivated?” ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne recalled on Hoops Collective.

There was an easy way to adapt to his grueling schedule. Jayson Tatum could have at least let the jet lag pass and begun his training regime the next day. However, the Celtics cornerstone knew all too well how to make the most of his time, after returning from Asia. “He goes, ‘You know, when you come back from Asia, the jet lag hits later in the day, so I figured I’d just get it in.’ But that’s a, that is a testament to how committed he was to fixing what was wrong with his jumper. And also setting the tone for the entire team,” Shelburne recalled.

Now, with a clash against the Golden State Warriors one sleep away, the revenge bells are ringing out.

Jayson Tatum is fully unleashed this NBA season, avenge or revenge mode?

It took an opening night pouring against the New York Knicks for the NBA world to be set on high alert. Jayson Tatum was blazing all night, going off for 37 points on his return. It also included 8 threes, displaying the regain of his rhythm when shooting. That, though, was only a first look at the refined hoopster.

His drive to be the best player may not have been higher. In eight games, Jayson Tatum is averaging 30 points and making defensive strides with a career-high 1.9 steals per game so far! Stephen A. Smith, a die-hard Knicks fanatic, feels the reason for his outburst is Steve Kerr.

“What Steve Kerr did to Jayson Tatum in the Olympics is egregious. You don’t go up to a first-team All-NBA player over the last three years who just won a championship a month earlier who spent the year averaging 27 a game and walk up to him before a game and say, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to find minutes for you,’” the senior sportscaster ranted after the Knicks’ loss.

Now, the two will finally meet in proximity as rivals for the first time since the Olympics. Jayson Tatum has a couple of reasons to have a spring in his step tonight. Not only is there the Olympic motivation, but the Warriors remain the team that delayed the title celebrations for the Celtics.

The talk of revenge, however, has not motivated Jayson Tatum. He is excited to play against his “close” friends Steph Curry and Draymond Green. But there’s bound to be a masked hunger to put on a statement performance. The Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors have both just dropped one game so far.

Who do you think improves their record today? Let us know your views in the comments below.