Boston Celtics' Ime Udoka opens up on his 3x All-Star Jayson Tatum's apparent struggles, 4th quarter shooting woes in Finals, and more

Despite their backs against the wall and facing elimination in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors Thursday night, the Boston Celtics remain upbeat about their chances in the series.

After all, the Celtics have essentially played with their backs against the wall all season.

In January, they were 11th in the Eastern Conference and made an incredible run that has landed them in the NBA Finals, and they're now just 2 wins away from their first title since Doc Rivers led them to a championship in 2008.

The mood at Celtics practice today was light at times but also intense as they’re focused on forcing a Game 7 back in San Francisco.

“It's a blessed day, man. We get to wake up and have another opportunity to come out here and do what we love to do. Not many people have that opportunity, so it's just another day for us. We're here in practice. We're enjoying each other's company, lifting each other up and making sure everybody is good to go”, Boston Celtics' Marcus Smart said.

Smart and the Celtics have played their best basketball with their backs against the wall.

The Celtics faced elimination twice earlier in the playoffs in the series against Milwaukee Bucks and then against the Miami Heat and yet they still found a way to overcome the odds. In the Eastern Conference Finals against Miami, the Celtics became just the 3rd team in the past 25 years to win a Game 7 in a wire-to-wire fashion, joining the 2022 Dallas Mavericks and the 2009 Los Angeles Lakers.

Now they have to do it again, and one wonders if they are at their best in these situations.

“I think just how we respond. It hasn't been easy. It's been extremely tough. We've had some tough losses. Losing Game 5 against Milwaukee was extremely tough. Knowing we had to win 2, go on the road. Losing Game 6 against the Heat was extremely tough”, Celtics' young frontman Jayson Tatum said. “In those moments, we just responded. I don't know exactly what it is, but I think just our will to want to win, just trying to figure it out.”

Marcus Smart chimed in on the matter - “For us, we've been doing it all season, just for the simple fact we've been really on that back end of catching up with everybody else. We've kind of been forced to play with our backs against the wall.”

Smart continued - “We got real used to it where it's kind of part of us, in our nature now. It's nothing new to us. It's another game. It's another tough game. We're in our house.”

Boston is back in their own house at the TD Garden, where they have lost 2 of their last 3 playoff games, but Boston still views playing in front of their passionate fanbase as an advantage despite the Warriors having won in Massachusetts.

“I think any team, any player will tell you being able to sleep in your own bed. Back to something familiar”, Smart said. “You get to get back to your routine and things like that, so really those type of things off the court. We all know about the things on the court. It's really those off-the-court things. Getting your extra rest that you probably wouldn't get on the road because you're uncomfortable, adjusting to the time difference and things like that.”

Smart and the Celtics know their fans have their backs but are not afraid to voice their opinion either, in what is one of the best sports cities in America.

“Definitely. Listen, I'm doing something right, am I? My mom used to tell me, if nobody is talking about you, you ain't doing nothing right”, Smart said.

Smart further spoke about the fans - “The fact that they're screaming and telling me this or telling me that or whatever they're doing shows me, obviously, I'm doing something right. I embrace it. It's part of it. You've got to accept the good, and you've got to accept the bad that comes with it. We're professionals, and it's part of the game.”

This time of the year, there’s no secret magic to Boston pulling this out. Their defense has been fantastic all season long and their focus needs to be on their ability to cut down on turnovers and execute offensively, especially down low at the rim.

“Some of our drives haven't been as physical as other times. That's an emphasis with us. I've mentioned hunting, looking for fouls instead of going up to finish. Their rotations are pretty direct every time. The guy is going to be there. It's just about making the read”, Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka said.

Udoka continued - “Credit to Green and what he did, keeping guys off balance, faking and falling, taking away some lobs. For us, it's really the physicality of our finishes. I think we've been off balance, not going up the strongest. Point-blank we missed some that we usually would make.”

“Because we know where they're going to be with their rotation, it's a mix of getting to the basket and finishing and finding your shooters or guys in the slots. We've seen it all series, where guys do it in a different way, with shot-blockers versus full-team rotations. But for us, it's really about the physicality of our finishes. I think we've been off balance and not going up as strong as we need to at times.”

Marcus Smart further spoke of the situation - “It's key. It's key. Everybody knows each other's X's and O's, so it's just going out there and executing whatever it is you're doing to the best of your ability. Sometimes, and especially this deep, it comes down to those small things, because we all know deep in this run and in this game when you are going up against some of the greats, the margin of error is very small, and those little things come back to haunt you.”

One area Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka is trying to figure out is getting forward Jayson Tatum going in crunch time as he has struggled specifically at times in the 4th quarter of the Finals. Tatum is averaging 2.8 points per game in the 4th quarter of the Finals, his worst statistical period against the Warriors.

Game 5 was a microcosm of his struggles in the 4th as he was just 1-of-5 from the field with only 5 points down the stretch.

“From a scoring standpoint at times this whole series, not only 4th quarter, he's missed some things that he usually makes,” Ime Udoka said. “But we do want him to be aggressive and find that balance, as he's done all year. With Golden State specifically, they are trying to take him out at certain times of the game. But it's on him to read that and us to put him in positions where, understanding he's going to be doubled and be the bait at times, get everybody else involved. We have to make them pay as far as that.”

Udoka further opened up about Jayson Tatum -

“I wouldn't say his 4th is not as good or as bad as some of the other quarters. He's had some stretches where he missed. Game 1 stands out, open shots throughout the game. We want him to be aggressive and make the right read, which he's done all year against all the coverages that he's seen.”

In the NBA Finals against Golden State, Tatum has missed 21 of his 26 attempts with 23.8% shooting in the 4th.

Udoka and his staff have discussed potential lineup changes and tweaks to counter the Warriors attack, the possibility of playing smaller which has worked for them.

“I think my thought process, as it was in that game, Game 7 against the Heat, it was just do whatever it takes to win. That can look different from game to game”, Tatum said. “But we won all those games. Felt like myself and everybody else did whatever it took. That's the mindset you got to have going into tomorrow, then hopefully a Game 7.”

Boston is the only franchise in NBA history to have a winning record in road Game 7s with no other franchise having more than 2 wins in their road Game 7s, but Boston needs to get their first and their focus remains on winning Thursday night.

The championship trophy will be in the arena Thursday night and Boston sounds determined to make sure the Warriors don’t get a shot at hoisting it on their floor.

“We're all professionals and adults. We know what's at stake. Everybody in that locker room should and is going to understand what we got to do, what's on the line”, Tatum said.

“So it shouldn't take a hero speech or anything like that. Everybody should be juiced up and ready to play. I'm not even going to say if they're not, it's a problem. Everybody is going to be ready to play. I'm not worried about that at all.”

Game 6. Boston. TD Garden. The world is watching.

Poll : Will the Boston Celtics win Game 6 at home?

Yes, and they'll force a Game 7

No, Warriors to take the series

66 votes