“My job is to be the best player” - Jayson Tatum shuts down media narrative after Cavs beatdown amid scrutiny 

Following a challenging loss in Game 2 at home, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics rallied to claim a 106-93 win on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night. This victory gave them a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Despite a relatively slow scoring start in this year's playoffs, Jayson Tatum silenced his critics by demonstrating his ability to lead his team to victory. He ended the night with a team-high 33 points, making 11 of 25 shots.

However, it might not have been Tatum's scoring that made the biggest impact. Veteran big man Al Horford emphasized that it was Tatum's leadership that made a difference on Saturday.

Following the win, Jayson Tatum addressed the media scrutiny he has faced over the course of the 2024 NBA Playoffs:

“I don't always agree on what they say. Maybe I feel like they're not watching everything else that I'm doing. But that’s not my job to focus on that... my job is to be the best player I can be for our team any given night."

Amid doubts about Tatum’s ability to lead the Celtics to a championship following his sluggish start in the playoffs, Horford, echoing Boston’s president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens, expressed unwavering confidence that the five-time All-Star would regain his peak form.

Kendrick Perkins among the few to criticize Jayson Tatum

Following a tough 118-94 loss in Game 2 at home, the Boston Celtics faced widespread disappointment from both fans and analysts. Kendrick Perkins, known for his directness, was outspoken in his critique of Celtics star Jayson Tatum for his lackluster performance this postseason.

Tatum, a top contender in MVP discussions during the regular season, has seemingly struggled in critical moments. His scoring troubles were particularly evident in Game 2, where he shot only 7 of 17 from the field and 2 of 5 from beyond the arc, totaling 25 points. Despite this, his plus/minus of -22 indicated that his presence on the court was more detrimental than beneficial.

"Enough is enough," Perkins said. "I'm so over Jayson Tatum. When is he going to arrive? He couldn't wait to get to the postseason. Well, it's here. What are you going to do about it? It's in your hands."

However, JT responded to the critics with his play in a crucial win, putting the pressure back on the Cleveland Cavaliers to win again on the road.