Jayson Tatum

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum said he wanted to "honour" Kobe Bryant, after his side advanced to the NBA Finals on Sunday, defeating the Miami Heat ...

Regardless of how long I've been in the league, I'm not too far removed from when I was in high school, dreaming about moments like this. I wanted to wear that armband to honour him and kind of share that moment. The shoes I wore in the last couple of games were dedicated to him and today, before I took my nap, I was watching some film and some moments from his career.

We've been through a lot,” Marcus Smart said after Boston's Game 7 win over the Miami Heat. “Literally blood, sweat and tears."

We know we’ve got a long road in front of us, but we’re up for the challenge.” Horford collapsed to the ground. “No matter what adversity is put in front of us, no obstacle, no loop, we’re going to get through it, we’re going to get over it, we’re going to get around it,” Smart said. For months, the Celtics struggled to learn the way Udoka wanted them to play. The Celtics lost their scruples over the final three minutes but still did enough to advance. In the celebration, Tatum and Brown hugged each other. Butler, dominant over the last two games of the series, pulled up for a 3-pointer instead of driving to the rim. The Celtics were a golden franchise loaded with enough talent, both young and established, to control the Eastern Conference for years to come. As Miami tried to mount a comeback after that drought, Tatum drilled a stepback 3-pointer from the left wing, then lost Butler with a great move at the end of the shot clock. Why would the Celtics dwell on the pain when the future promised to heal it? At the end of a series that left both teams hobbled, Tatum, Brown and Smart became the second trio in NBA history to record at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists each during a Game 7. MIAMI — Four years ago, back when this all seemed easy to Jayson Tatum, the Celtics ripped off a run to the Eastern Conference finals.

Tatum was the winner of the inaugural Larry Bird Eastern Conference MVP Trophy. Next up: Watch Game 1 of the NBA Finals – Celtics @ Warriors – live on Sky ...

"I think it's all right, to be proud of ourselves today and enjoy this. "Today, before I took my nap, I do it sometimes, I was watching some film, some moments from him and his career. "That was my inspiration, my favourite player. "You know, obviously, that was my idol," Tatum said. I'm going to take it home and show Deuce tomorrow." "Honoured," was how Tatum answered when asked how he felt about winning the award.

Jayson Tatum sported a purple and gold "24" armband in honor of Kobe Bryant on Sunday as he helped lead the Celtics to the NBA Finals.

And it worked out," Tatum said after the game. My idol and my favorite player. Tatum said Bryant was his favorite player, and the two became close as they worked out on several occasions before the Lakers great was killed during a helicopter crash in 2020.

Jayson Tatum has recently led the Boston Celtics to a win over the Miami Heat in Game 7. He has been productive all series, and there's no doubt that he was ...

While he remains off the field in OTAs while rehabbing on his own, and likely will be held off the field in mandatory minicamp, as well, Conklin is expected to be ready to practice at the start of training camp. It is not often that a team wins on the road to force a Game 7 and then is an underdog at home in it. On the Miami side, their injury report coming into their biggest game of the year includes Kyle Lowry (hamstring), Max Strus (hamstring), P.J. Tucker (knee), Gabe Tucker (hamstring) and Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro (groin). For visiting Boston, their players listed as questionable included Robert Williams (knee) and Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart (ankle). Herro is third on the Heat in scoring during the playoffs at 13.5 points per game, while Lowry has averaged a team-high 4.9 assists per game in his nine postseason contests. I am fading that opinion and looking to back the over thinking that Miami is going to be able to build on what we saw on Friday night. They have a quarterback in C.J. Stroud who might be the top pick in next year's draft and more than enough talent on both sides of the ball to win the Big Ten like they have for most of the past decade. At this point on the calendar, I would rather have the flexibility of the field knowing that at least a couple of other teams will be in playoffs with a chance to knock off one team or the other. The Teams I will not go too deep on Alabama and Georgia here but both are super talented (and played in the Championship Game a year ago). With Alabama, you have a team that might have the best offensive player (QB Bryce Young) and defensive player (LB Will Anderson) in the game. Nottingham Forest has been promoted and will play in the 2022-23 Premier League season after beating Huddersfield Town 1-0 in a playoff game Sunday. The last time Nottingham Forest was in the top tier of English soccer was in 1999, but the team was relegated after finishing last place that season and hasn't been back to the Premier League since. Why Are the Hurricanes So Good at Home? My answer to that question would be that they actually AREN'T that much better at home than on the road. The team bounced back and surged up the table, even winning nine out of 10 matches during a stretch in March and April. After finishing fourth, Nottingham Forest beat Sheffield United in penalty kicks to earn a spot in the promotion playoff final. Jayson Tatum has recently led the Boston Celtics to a win over the Miami Heat in Game 7. As a result of his heroics in the Western Conference Finals, Jayson Tatum was awarded the Larry Bird Eastern Conference Finals MVP award.

Mark Murphy: Jayson Tatum on his Kobe armband: “Today before I took my nap, I was watching some film and some moments from him and his career.

The call in question came with 11:04 remaining in the third quarter, when Heat guard Max Strus knocked down a 3-pointer deep in the corner that cut the Celtics’ lead, which had been as many as 17 earlier in the first half, to 56-54. I’m going to take it home and show Deuce tomorrow and enjoy it.” I think instead of separating, we became closer”— Jayson Tatum on working things out with Brown pic.twitter.com/8pkf15jdHL

Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics had an incredible Game 7 performance in the Eastern Conference Finals to book their place in the NBA Finals.

Tatum concluded by saying that he wanted to pay tribute to Kobe by wearing the armband. But the Celtics have shown during this playoff run that they are not to be underestimated. Tatum noted that it is no secret that Kobe Bryant was his idol growing up and his favorite player.

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum said he studied one of the all-time greats ahead of Sunday's Game 7 win over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference ...

"Just to have something to show him in the biggest game of my career so far." ... Today, before I took my nap, I do it sometimes, I was watching film and some moments from him and his career." The Warriors have reached their sixth Finals in the past eight seasons and are in search of their fourth title during that time. In a 100-96 victory, Tatum led the way for Boston with 26 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, and he played 46 of 48 minutes, cementing his status as Eastern Conference Finals MVP. According to Jay King of The Athletic, Tatum said he watched some film of late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, adding: "Obviously, that was my idol, that was my inspiration, that was my favorite player. Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum said he studied one of the all-time greats ahead of Sunday's Game 7 win over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Celtics star Jayson Tatum guided Boston to the NBA Finals on Sunday night, and earned the inaugural Larry Bird Trophy for Eastern Conference finals MVP in ...

Tatum was a key reason that the Celtics are advancing to their first NBA finals since 2010. Tatum and the Celtics now move on to the NBA Finals to face the Warriors, where the Boston star will look to harness more motivation from the late great in Bryant. Celtics star Jayson Tatum guided Boston to the NBA Finals on Sunday night, and earned the inaugural Larry Bird Trophy for Eastern Conference finals MVP in the process.

Tatum earned eight of nine votes from media members and was awarded the first-ever Larry Bird Trophy.

Tatum will look to carry over his Eastern Finals success into the NBA Finals vs. Tatum earned eight of nine votes, with Heat star Jimmy Butler receiving the only other vote, from ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. He likely would’ve been the unanimous MVP pick if Miami had won the series. He scored at least 22 points in the other six games. Tatum averaged 25.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game over the course of the seven-game series vs. Following the Celtics‘ dramatic victory over the Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday, Jayson Tatum was named the Most Valuable Player of the series, making him the first-ever winner of the Larry Bird Trophy, according to the league ( Twitter press release).

Jayson Tatum grew up a Kobe Bryant fan and even got to work out with him, so it's not a surprise that before Game 7 he turned to Kobe for inspiration.

This is the biggest game of my career thus far, and I wanted to wear that arm band to honor him and kind of share that moment in a way." Kobe had inspired Tatum in Game 7s before. Then during the game, Tatum wore a purple-and-gold Kobe 24 armband.

Tatum shared a screenshot of a text he sent to Kobe Bryant in a celebratory Instagram post early Monday morning: "I got you today."

That was my favorite player. That was my inspiration. "That was my idol.

Jayson Tatum honored his late mentor Kobe Bryant during the Eastern Conference Finals game in Miami, Florida, on Sunday night.

After the game, Tatum revealed that the sweatband wasn't his only way of channeling his inner Mamba Mentality. On Sunday, the Boston star showed up on the defensive end of the floor in the win-or-go-home game as well, with two blocks and a steal to secure the win for his team. The screenshot was the last image of 10 in the post.

Before Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum sent a text to the late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

- SHOULD THE BUCKS MAKE A TRADE? On Sunday afternoon, the Milwaukee Bucks lost Game 7 to the Boston Celtics, which officially ends their 2021-22 NBA season in the second-round. The Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat by a score of 100-96 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday night in Florida. In the Finals, they will face off with Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors for the NBA Championship.

In a Game 7 win that finally got the Celtics over the hump, Jayson Tatum answered any outstanding questions about his place in the hierarchy of NBA stars.

“We trust in each other, and we had to be better. We can chuck the discussion about breaking up The Jays after their big breakthrough. The answer is a resounding yes. “You start to realize how hard it is to win. We kept the lead and kept making winning basketball plays.” Tatum is soft-spoken. But, as is their habit, they made it harder than it needed to be in one of the wilder wire-to-wire playoff wins you’ll ever witness. We would get up a big lead — they’re a great team, well-coached — and they would come back. The Celtics led by 13 with 3:35 remaining and then allowed 11 straight Miami points. The Celtic cynosure in the 100-96 triumph, Tatum logged a team-best 26 points along with 10 rebounds and 6 assists while scoring 7 vital fourth-quarter points. JT took only three fourth-quarter shots, but he made them count. Indeed it is.

Kyle Lowry and the Miami Heat lost to Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday evening. The Celtics will now play the ...

- SHOULD THE BUCKS MAKE A TRADE? The Milwaukee Bucks lost Game 7 to the Boston Celtics, which officially ended their 2021-22 NBA season in the second-round. The Celtics lost to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2020, so they got their revenge. The Miami Heat had their season come to an end on Sunday night when they lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals by a score of 100-96 to the Boston Celtics.

The Celtics superstar shared his thoughts on the honor postgame.

So to be the first person to win this award (named) after Larry Bird still hasn’t sunk in yet.” I thank God every day just to be in this position, to be able to do that. Tatum shared his thoughts on the award postgame, calling it “an honor” to be the premier recipient of the award.