NBA Notebook: Jayson Tatum defends Celtics toughness after beating Heat

Jayson Tatum felt the Heat's tactics most. He slid over the top of Caleb Martin's back in the closing moments of Game 1, tumbling to the floor before he popped up and darted to the free-throw line in the other direction. Late in Game 4, he shot a three after a foul call and turned his ankle as Bam Adebayo contested his shot underneath him. Tatum rose to his feet again, this time Al Horford confronting Adebayo and the officials, before converting a pair of flagrant free throws to close the win and secure a 3-2 lead. Boston went on to win in Game 5, sharing thoughts on toughness and physicality that obviously alluded to the opponent he and the Celtics just defeated.

"Just being honest with ourselves, what are team's, what's their message, what's their game plan to beat us? It's to pick up the pace, to pressure, be more physical, crash the glass, do all the intangible things," Tatum said. "So if we know that, why don't we flip the script and be the tougher team. Why don't we crash the glass more? Why don't we pick up the pressure on defense? While still being the talented team that we are, it'll be tough to beat us." 

Al Horford laughed and shook his head two days later when he heard about a notion that opponents can out-tough the Celtics. Boston talked about it early in the season, and hasn't since then, he said. The Celtics put whatever physical and mental edge a clearly less talented Heat roster held over them in recent seasons, albeit with Miami missing Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier and others. Physical challenges still await Boston though, with Cleveland and Orlando ranking among the top-10 NBA defenses, seventh and third respectively, during the regular season. The Celtics can play that style too, finishing second in defensive rating and limiting the Heat to 100.7 points per 100 possessions in the playoff series (third in def. rating). Joe Mazzulla demanded it from them, stressing rebounding, defense and an overall level of physicality to combine with the Celtics' talent. 

Mazzulla has also stressed that the playoffs are no different than the regular season in terms of mentality and what wins games. An early difference emerged in round one though, as the Celtics' offensive output diminished from 122.2 points per 100 to 117.7, which ranked third, but wasn't good enough to win outright. Tatum struggled to get his shot off against heavy Heat defensive attention, hitting only 41.6% of his shots from the field while Kristaps Porziņģis (38.9%), Jrue Holiday (35%) and Payton Pritchard (33.3%) all saw their efficiency diminish. Miami fouled often, laid extra hits and Tyler Herro threw the ball at Sam Hauser and Pritchard in separate losses. Pritchard confronted Herro and Martin in the aftermath of the Game 3 Hauser incident. 

"I think, in the world we live in, there's gotta be something wrong with every team," Tatum said. "That's what they like to say and you can see how talented we are, I think it's lazy or easy to say teams can out-tough us. I never understood that, like, what's the definition of tough? Having the louder guys on your team? That s*** don't make you tough. Everybody has their own definition of what toughness is, playing the right way, showing up every day to do your job without complaining, I think that's being tough." 

Two days later, Mazzulla called those comments dead on, calling the discipline to do the right things repeatedly overlooked, and while screening, rebounding and other physical areas of the game fall under toughness, too, in his definition, the commitment to playing the right way showed Tatum and the team's toughness. He averaged 21.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists while converting 80% of his team-leading 45 free throw attempts. 

Beyond the clear drop-off in talent Miami experienced between departures and absences, Tatum and Jaylen Brown made a concerted effort to not attack the Heat's defensive tactics head-on. That led to the offensive lapses and turnovers from last season's East finals, with Brown owning his individual struggles to take advantage of the attention Miami took away from him and placed on Tatum, finishing 52.2% from the field through five games with 22.8 PPG. The Heat even went as far as to place Herro on Brown in single coverage to take Boston out of its offense. It worked briefly, along with a drove of Miami threes, to win Game 2 before the Celtics returned to their principles. Brown called on Boston multiple times to win the fight as much as the game. 

"I thought (Tatum's) defense was tremendous," Mazzulla said. "I thought his pick-and-roll defense on the ball handler was really good, I thought his defensive rebounding was good and I thought the discipline to fight, taking difficult shots versus making extra passes, I thought he showed that. I think the thing he's really grown at this year is that it's gonna look different every night, it's gonna look different every series and he was able to really adjust this series and find other ways to impact the game, which I think is super important ... at the end of the day, the toughest team's gonna win. It could be physically tough, mentally tough, emotionally tough."

For Pritchard, experiencing his first full allotment of playoff minutes by making back-to-back threes in Game 1, he returned to the waves of shot totals, involvement and success that come with a slightly reduced role, another postseason difference. He laughed when asked if teams guarded him differently than a season ago, noting he didn't play in the playoffs last year. That allowed him to be on the floor for his spat with Martin, noting that he had always been willing to assert himself in those moments, and also nights that didn't see as much opportunity flow in his direction. He attempted 0 shots in Game 2 and finished 0-for-4 in Game 4. We love that, he said after Martin's foul on Tatum, saying that now Boston could respond. 

Toughness, like with Tatum, also refers to dealing with those individual sacrifices for the good of the team. Now in his fourth NBA season, he like Tatum, Brown and Boston's other relatively younger players all dealt with the process of learning it's not all about shooting your team out of trouble, scoring your way out of struggles and winning with offense. That, as much as the talent upgrades, allows the Celtics to contend for the championship this year, especially with Porziņģis out for an extended period. Even if he can return for the east finals, the Knicks loom as second-round favorites over the Pacers, perhaps the most physical and tough team in the NBA under Tom Thibodeau. 

"Who can out-will the other team, who can make the right plays, who can execute at the highest levels, who can execute game plans, who can rebound? I think it's just a little bit of everything," Mazzulla said. "But we do talk about how to be those different levels of toughness throughout the game and where the opportunities present themselves." 

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...

Boston (won 4-1 vs. MIA): Avenged last year's East finals loss, albeit against an extremely short-handed Heat team and losing Kristaps Porziņģis in this process. He suffered a soleus strain during the second quarter of Boston's Game 3 win, the same injury that sidelined Giannis Antetokounmpo for over three weeks prior to Milwaukee's elimination. Joe Mazzulla said he'll be evaluated next week, but didn't have a timeline. The Celtics stormed to a Game 5 win with ease two nights later, receiving strong minutes from Al Horford and Luke Kornet while shooting 54.5% from the field. They'll face the winner of Magic-Cavaliers Game 7 in round two on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Boston. 

Cleveland (tied 3-3 vs. ORL): Evan Mobley recorded the game-winning dunk and block in the closing minute of the Cavaliers' Game 5 win. Orlando led by three with five minutes remaining before Marcus Morris and Max Strus hit threes. Paolo Banchero took the lead back briefly with two minutes left, then Mobley answered with a go-ahead and game-ending finish at the rim on drop-off passes from Strus and Darius Garland. Donovan Mitchell scored 50 points in 42 minutes to nearly clinch the series on Friday night, but managed only 96 points as a team when nobody except Mitchell managed to score in the fourth quarter. Jarrett Allen (ribs) missed Game 5-6 while Dean Wade (knee) missed the entire series and is out indefinitely. 

Dallas (won 4-2 vs. LAC): Luka Dončić scored 35 points with seven rebounds and 10 assists, logging 39 minutes through his injured right knee that he admitted would sideline him if this was the regular season and an illness. He returned with 28 points and 13 assists in the series-clinching win on Friday, struggling to shoot while Kyrie Irving (30 pts, 11-19 FG) hit difficult shots to hold off a late Clippers comeback attempt. Irving averaged 26.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 4.7 APG on 51.4% shooting (44.9% 3PT). He's advancing to the second round for the first time since 2021 with the Nets, and 2018 before that. 

Denver (won 4-1 vs. LAL): Jamal Murray hit game-winning shots in two of the Nuggets' four wins, this year's first round playing out similarly to last year's with small margins game-to-game and an overwhelming series finish. Murray averaged 23.6 PPG on 40% shooting, but came up big to help Denver achieve a +41.4 net rating and 3-0 mark in crunch time through the first round. They'll face the Timberwolves, a team that took them six games last season, starting with Game 1 on Saturday. Only Minnesota has a better playoff clutch rating, and they split their regular season meetings with the Nuggets winning two by single-digits and the Wolves holding Denver to under 100 points in each of their victories. Anthony Edwards praised Murray. 

“I mean (expletive), he averaged 30 in the Western Conference Finals,” Edwards said. “If you can find me somebody that don’t think Jamal Murray is one of the best (freaking) guards in the league, then they’re crazy. He averaged 30 in the Western Conference Finals. He’s the reason they won. I mean, without him, they’re not good. It’s just that simple.”

Indiana (won 4-2 vs. MIL): Slipped up in Game 5 with Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo out before blowing out Milwaukee to clinch the series at home six double-figure scoring efforts, including 41 combined points from Obi Toppin and TJ McConnell off the bench. The Pacers' best players didn't thrive consistently through their first playoff win in one decade and they ranked 12th in defense out of 16 playoff teams. Those trends place them in a precarious position against the Knicks in round two. New York played the second-slowest pace in the first round though, potentially challenging them if the Pacers can get them into an up-and-down game. Among those who'll have to play more efficiently in round two, Tyrese Haliburton shot 43.5% from the field (29.6% 3PT), Aaron Nesmith hit only 35.1% of his shots (30.8% 3PT) and Indiana only finished 34.4% from three as a team. The Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner combination inside and out helped drive the Pacers' offensive effort, which on sheer volume and speed finished second (119.4 OR). Indiana advancing forced the Indiana Fever to move their preseason home opener up by one day due to a scheduling conflict, Caitlin Clark's debut.

Clippers (trail 2-3 vs. DAL): The Clippers hope to extend head coach Ty Lue before he becomes a free agent in 2026, a move undoubtedly getting ahead of the Lakers' head coaching search that's expected to include Lue. Lue declined to comment about the Lakers' interest in him following the Game 6 loss that ended the Clippers' season in the first round. Another Kawhi Leonard injury later, LA could see this core capsize this summer if Paul George and James Harden depart as free agents. Russell Westbrook also has a $4.0 million player option. The Clippers move into the Intuit Dome in the fall, but have now fallen well short of their championship aspirations in five straight seasons. George says he sees himself in LA and has started extension talks with the Clippers ahead of his $48.8 million player option deadline next month.  

Lakers (lost 1-4 vs. DEN): Fired head coach Darvin Ham and his entire staff, including beloved assistant Phil Handy, following a first-round exit and injury-plagued season that followed his successful west finals trip and mid-season turnaround from his first season in 2022-23. Ham received criticism for his rotations and game plans, along with LA's general inconsistency on the way to a play-in tournament berth. LeBron James wouldn't address his future with the team ahead of his $51.4 million player option decision next month. The Lakers are expected to consider JJ Redick, Mike Budenholzer, Kenny Atkinson, Ty Lue and Celtics assistant Charles Lee, who has already emerged as a finalist for the Hornets job alongside Redick. Redick notably began hosting a podcast with James this year, though has no coaching experience.

Miami (lost 1-4 vs. BOS): Blamed injuries for their uncompetitive first-round exit at the hands of the rival Celtics. Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson missed the entire series, while Jaime Jaquez went down for Game 5 and Delon Wright missed Game 4 for the birth of his child. Butler becomes extension-eligible this summer and has spoken about wanting Jaylen Brown money at age 34. He played 60 games this year and saw a regression from his All-NBA campaign in 2023. Butler is signed for 2024-25 and has a $52.4 million player option for 2025-26. He can only sign a two-year extension due to the over-38 rule, some solace for Miami if the team decides to build around Butler. Zach Lowe added to previous hinting by David Aldridge that there could be some friction between Butler and the Heat this summer as they try to agree to a future together. Butler's max extension would be worth roughly two years, $113 million. Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo and Terry Rozier are signed through 2026 and beyond in Herro's case.

Milwaukee (lost 2-4 vs. IND): A dysfunctional season came to a crushing end with Giannis Antetokounmpo watching, later revealing he only reached less than halfway back to full form in an unsuccessful attempt to recover from a soleus strain over three weeks. That's worth noting after Kristaps Porziņģis suffered the same ailment this week, with the potential to stretch into the conference finals over a similar timeline. Damian Lillard fought back from missing Game 5 to score 28 points in a Game 6 blowout loss that featured Patrick Beverley launching a ball at fans behind the bench and kicking an ESPN reporter out of his post-game scrum in a widely criticized move. The injuries that occurred in this series will encourage Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Doc Rivers to run it back with a full offseason and roster tweaks, but this roster's age, depth and asset base fail to generate optimism into the future. GM Jon Horst, who's led the team since 2017, is expected to be among the names considered for the Pistons' president of basketball operations search. 

Minnesota (won 4-0 vs. PHX): Buried the Suns in a difficult Game 4 win to wrap a series that Anthony Edwards could use to pivot to an NBA Finals run at 22. He averaged 31.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG and 6.3 APG with 2.0 SPG, staggering production capped by 76 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists over the final two games. Kevin Durant received the brunt of the flame-throwing effort and Minnesota won its first playoff series since 2004. A collision between Mike Conley and Wolves head coach Chris Finch dampened the excitement of the final moments of the sweep when the latter capsized to the floor in pain. Finch tore his patellar tendon and will undergo surgery that could impact his ability to coach the second round beginning on Saturday. Shams Charania reported that there's increased optimism Finch can take some seated position near the bench to coach the team. Assistant coach Micha Nori is next up. 

New Orleans (lost 0-4 vs. OKC): GM David Griffin will eye changes this offseason after another Zion Williamson injury and late-season collapse destroyed hopes for a Pelicans postseason run. Williamson's extension cements his status as the team's cornerstone, but it's less clear how he and Brandon Ingram will lead the team into the future when both players miss so much time due to their health. Griffin's argument noted that Williamson played most of the regular season, and New Orleans still didn't finish well enough to draw a favorable playoff matchup. Change is incoming. 

"I think we’ve seen this group enough," he said. "We had a really good opportunity to see Zion play a career-high in games (with 70). We saw it for segments of time well enough to understand that we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

New York (won 4-2 vs. PHI): Capped an impressive playoff series decided by one point (650-649) with a Josh Hart three that prevented the 76ers from rallying late again to force a Game 7. Jalen Brunson finished the series averaging 35.5 PPG with 41 points and 12 assists in the closeout game. Hart shot 43.2% from three, Donte DiVincenzo broke out in Game 5 while OG Anunoby commanded the mid-range. The series still resulted in 44.1% shooting overall for New York and saw Bojan Bogdanovic go down for the season with foot and wrist injuries. Mitchell Robinson continues to nurse an ankle injury into the semifinals and their slow pace could leave them vulnerable against the lightning-fast Pacers. They'll still be favorited to win. 

Oklahoma City (won 4-0 vs. NO): No concerns following their first-round sweep that featured 48.6 PPG from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams combined while Chet Holmgren blocked 2.8 shots per game in his playoff series debut. Shooting close to 50% from the field and 40% from three while holding the Pelicans to under 40% and 30%, respectively, they commanded the most dominant first-round series win across the league, reflective of their hold over a difficult west all season. They deserve slight favorite status over the Mavericks for their defensive might, but they have to score. Oklahoma City won 3-of-4 regular-season meetings and hosts Game 1 on Tuesday. 

Orlando (tied 3-3 vs. CLE): Paolo Banchero hit an and-one post fadeaway to reach 27 points and solidify a late Magic lead and win that forced a Game 7 on Sunday. Gary Harris (hamstring) exited the lineup, pulling Jonathan Isaac into the starting unit on Cleveland's opposing guards. They've lost all three road games in the series, keeping them in a difficult position ahead of Game 7 at 1 p.m. on Sunday on the road, but they've emerged as the second-most dominant defensive team in the playoffs, with Isaac and Jalen Suggs well equipped to guard Brown and Tatum. Boston won 2-of-3 meetings this year.

Philadelphia (lost 2-4 vs. NYK): Joel Embiid did all he could, scoring 39 points and 13 rebounds in the elimination game that went, as Nick Nurse quipped, down to the wire again in a nearly dead even series. Embiid fought through his knee ailment to post 33.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG and 5.7 APG 44.4% shooting. Whatever impact his injuries had on the series, it's clear the 76ers need to surround him with better talent beyond Tyrese Maxey, who's clearly good enough to keep Embiid invested in this situation along with Nick Nurse's formidable coaching. Kyle Lowry proved a positive addition, as did Kelly Oubre Jr., who's heading to free agency. Neither of those players, nor does Tobias Harris (0 PTS in G6) allow them to contend for a championship. Daryl Morey has a ton of work to do, and will have to strike a balance between not overpaying for talent that doesn't move the needle and aggression. That balance allowed Maxey and solid role players to emerge. Philadelphia can create a projected $55-million in cap space this offseason. 

Phoenix (lost 0-4 vs. MIN): Without draft picks for the foreseeable future and with the Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal trio unable to win even one game in this series, they're teetering on perhaps an even worse fate than Durant's Brooklyn Nets suffered. Owner Mat Ishbia forcefully defended the team's future and while they're expected to bring back their big three, a coaching change from Frank Vogel alone probably won't change much about a team that struggled to find consistent depth, a defensive backbone and to some degree health through their first full season together. Grayson Allen's absence undoubtedly impacted them in the series. It's hard to imagine his presence swinging the series much. 

"The house is not on fire. We’re in great position. It’s not hard to fix," Ishbia said. "It’s not like, hey, we don’t have enough talent to win a championship. We have enough talent to win a championship. Do we have enough continuity, time together? There’s a lot of things we can look at. Do we have the right leadership in place? Do we need to add some little pieces around? If I read the media, I would think we have a lot of problems, but luckily I get to spend some time with the best players in the world in my opinion, the best coaches, GMs, all these people and I get to spend time with our people and I say, we’re in great shape."