Joe Mazzulla sends pressing message to Jayson Tatum, Celtics on ‘getting higher’

The Boston Celtics dominated the NBA final yr, and all that is left for them to do is to do it once more. Matching the excellence of the 2023-24 marketing campaign will likely be troublesome, however Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla believes his staff can compete for one more championship in the event that they keep away from complacency and deal with development.

Whereas some will view the upcoming 2024-25 season as a title protection for Boston, Mazzulla informed star ahead Jayson Tatum and the remainder of the Inexperienced Crew that it is extra of a brand new problem, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.

“[Mazzulla] had an ideal quote the opposite day. He mentioned, we’re not defending something. We’re chasing one other championship,” Tatum revealed. “We loved all of it summer season. We loved it throughout coaching camp. I can not anticipate opening evening to get our rings and see the banner being raised. However truthfully, after opening evening, we now have to place it behind us. It is a new season. Final yr was final yr, we completed one thing particular. We have got to determine a option to get higher.”

Bettering will not be simple for the Celtics given how spectacular their run to banner no. 18 was. Throughout the common season, the C’s have been fifth in whole rebounds per recreation, fourth in factors per recreation, and third in blocks per recreation. Additionally they averaged the fewest turnovers per outing and went a stellar 64-18, their finest total file in additional than a decade.

“We needed to method the sport with the identical mindset, and we did a tremendous job of that final yr,” Tatum mentioned. “To not toot our personal horn, however we have been fairly good. We believed it.”

The postseason wasn’t any completely different. The Celtics posted a 16-3 file on the way in which to their first championship in 16 years. None of their collection went longer than 5 video games and 9 of these 16 playoff wins have been by 10 factors or extra.

How can Jayson Tatum and the Celtics get higher within the new season?

Statistically, it is exhausting for Mazzulla’s males to surpass what they did final season. Fortunately, an analogous efficiency ought to be sufficient for them to maintain their championship window open.

Nevertheless, individually, there are some things Boston may work on.

First (and arguably foremost), Tatum has to seek out his 3-point shot once more. The Celtics made extra triples per recreation than every other staff final season, but the five-time All-Star’s 3-pointers have been off the mark as a rule within the playoffs.

Tatum shot a career-low 28.3% from deep within the postseason after taking pictures a stable 37.6% from past the arc within the common season. Even within the 2024 Olympics, he struggled to transform across the perimeter, lacking all 4 of his 3-point makes an attempt through the Summer time Video games.

This taking pictures stoop should not detract from what Tatum’s achieved not too long ago. He posted career-highs in common season and playoff assists and led the Celtics in factors, assists, and rebounds per recreation all through the 2024 NBA Playoffs. He is simply the sixth participant in NBA historical past to perform such a feat en path to a title, with Larry Fowl being the one different Celtic to ever do the identical.

The 2024 NBA champion additionally entered rarified air after the Paris Olympics, changing into solely the eighth participant to win a hoop and a gold medal in the identical yr. Celtics teammate Derrick White joined him in that elite membership as nicely.

So, how does a two-time Olympic gold medalist recent off a championship return even stronger? Staying hungry appears to be step one, and Tatum has no scarcity of motivation.

Plus, with a pushed Mazzulla on the helm, the C’s will all the time be inspired to develop slightly than stagnate right into a championship hangover.