Whoever arranged for Jayson Tatum and Derrick White to do their post-game media availability together after their second preseason game against the Denver Nuggets deserves a raise.
Celtics fans love Jayson Tatum and Derrick White. I wouldn’t say that love comes from Jayson and Derrick’s engaging post-game interviews. And that’s fine. They aren’t being paid to be post-game podcasters.
Before each answer, the Celtics teammates shared a look and a smile — even for an innocuous question about beating one of the best teams in the league in the preseason.
Like most NBA superstars, Jayson Tatum prides himself on having a particular style regarding pre- and post-game “fits.” When a reporter accused him of having a fake watch, Tatum had one of the more real reactions we’ve seen from him
Tatum has always been relatively frugal. His mother, Brandy, did not let him spend any of the money from his first contract on things outside of necessities. If he wanted to spend money, that had to come from endorsements. So, I suppose it’s possible the watch is fake. Tatum’s reaction would suggest that the “kid’s watch” probably costs more than my car.
Part of what made the Boston Celtics so dominant last season, outside of their overwhelming talent, was their commitment to winning the margins every night, like limiting turnovers and the opposing team’s free throw attempts.
The Celtics weren’t an elite offensive rebounding team last year; they ranked 14th in offensive rebound percentage. However, Mazzulla implemented having players, often guards, crash the offensive boards from the corners — an effective tactic as I’m sure you can picture Jrue Holiday and Payton Pritchard soaring in from the corners to secure extra possessions for the Celtics offense.
Tatum may have scoffed at the idea of a paltry two offensive rebounds for Derrick White in the second preseason game against the Denver Nuggets, but if White were to average two offensive rebounds per game, that would have ranked him second in the NBA last season in terms of offensive rebounds per game for players under six-foot-seven.
Seeing the guys smile and laugh up on the stage was refreshing. More of that would be a welcome change to the post-game pressers.
