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Jayson Tatum’s heartwarming take on what makes this Celtics team so much ‘fun’

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints
By Jackson Stone | Last updated 10/17/24

Although the Boston Celtics are looking poised to repeat as NBA champions in 2024-25, Jayson Tatum still has plenty of personal motivation heading into this season to once again perform at an elite level. At the age of 26, Tatum figures to be just now entering the heart of his NBA prime, and Boston is bringing back largely the same roster that just won the franchise its 18th banner three months ago.

One of the most striking things about the 2023-24 Celtics was the apparent joy that they played with, and recently, Tatum broke down how he missed being around that environment during this offseason (per Celtics on NBC Sports Boston on X).

“I had so much fun last year with our group,” said Tatum. “I’ve been on teams that the cohesiveness isn’t as great, so you know when it’s special, and we enjoyed playing with each other so much. We had so much fun throughout the season and we created so many memories, and we accomplished something that is going to bond us together forever. I missed being around the coaches and the guys on the team, so I’m really just happy to be back around them.”

After sleepwalking at times during the 2022-23 regular season, the Celtics remained locked in last year essentially from start to finish, skipping no steps and using that momentum to propel them to the NBA championship.

Can the Celtics repeat?

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) looks on against the Toronto Raptors during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

On paper, the Celtics are still clearly the best team in the NBA despite additions made by some of their challengers in the Eastern Conference this offseason. Tatum and costar Jaylen Brown are both in the heart of their prime, and still have three top-5o teammates in Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis once he returns from injury.

There’s also the unique idea that despite winning the championship, the Celtics still have plenty of reason to feel disrespected and motivated to perform this year, including some fans questioning the strength of their often injured competition during last year’s playoff run as well as the frequent benchings that Tatum received during his run in Paris during the Olympics this summer.

Overall, the thought of a motivated, championship-proven Celtics squad should be a scary prospect for the rest of the NBA. Boston is set to open up its season at home on October 22 vs the New York Knicks in what many suspect may be a conference finals matchup next May.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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