Jayson Tatum views the upcoming NBA Finals as a chance at redemption for the Boston Celtics after falling short two years ago. (More Sports News)
The Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers to reach the showpiece seven-game series, where they face the Dallas Mavericks.
With Game 1 of the much-anticipated series coming on Friday, Tatum looked back at the 2022 Finals defeat to the Golden State Warriors, usi꧙ng the disappointment as motivation this time around.
"It's a lot that myself, and we, can🦋 learn from that experience being in the Finals, and this time, this go-around is a lot different," Tatum said after Saturday's practice.
"Obviously, wꦬe've been there before, we came up short. And a great oppor꧅tunity to make it to the Finals again.
"You don't always get a second chance, so really just looking at it as a second chance and t🍎rying to simplify things as mu📖ch as we can."
The Celtics were el❀iminated in the Eastern Conference finals against the Mia♕mi Heat last year, losing in seven games.
That has prevented Boston from avenging their finals defeat to Golden State the year before, though Tatum is ke🍸en to make up for lost time.
He will have to do so against former teཧam-mate Kyr📖ie Irving, however.
"Obviously there were some ups and downs, but I think, for me, being a first-, second-year player, being around a superstar, essentially, every day and seeing how to navi💎gate that space," Tatum said.
"And then obviously on the court, he's one of th🦋e🥂 most talented guys I've ever seen.
"So it seems lik🔯e a very long time ago, but I've got a 🧸lot of great memories from having [Irving] as a team-mate."
