I basically turn into thi
Granted, I can admit it certainly doesn’t take much.
Brad Stevens talking about trading 2nd round picks for a player that moves the needle?
I’m running through a wall.
Yup, I’m running through a wall.
Buddy, you’ll never believe this but I am once again running through my walls
Chills.
Let’s also face the reality of the situation.
Had Tatum performed to his own standard in the NBA Finals in 2022, this would have already happened.
To win a title, the best player needs to go up a level.
Look at LeBron, Steph, Giannis, Jokic etc all in recent history.
Once they got to the Finals, they went nuclear.
The good news is he’s absolutely capable of it.
For the Boston Celtics in particular, to be an all time great you need the chip.
That’s the stamp of approval.
Paul Pierce would be talked about entirely differently within the context of Celtics legends without his title.
That standard isn’t the same for every franchise, but it certainly is the case here.
You don’t need multiple, it would certainly be nice, but you need at least 1.
And I’ll just tell him this.
The God he will become in Boston is beyond his comprehension.
For example, I will die without hesitation for any member of the 2008 team.
If this group were to pull it off, I do think it would feel different from 2008.
It’s partly why the 2022 Finals hurt so much.
The fact that this homegrown trio came away empty-handed still hurts in places I didn’t know existed.
When you think of those top 5 guys, winning their title was that true stamp.
KD got his stamp.
That’s what is on the table for Tatum.
You win a title, there’s no more “YEAH BUT”.
Again, that’s what made 2022 so tough.
We were right there!
Close out Game 4 and who knows what happens up 3-1.
It is this hope that fuels us.
The talent is there.
The roster is there.
No more just making the ECF.
No more just making the Finals.
Those are goals for other teams.
For this team, and that player specifically, it’s about winning it.
My sense is that after the 2022 Finals and the 2023 ECF loss, Tatum understands that.
That’s the weight of being the franchise guy.
And when he reaches the top of the mountain?
Man, I’m getting emotional just thinking about it.
Then go ahead and watch the KP/JJ Redick one too.
