Smart reveals message to Tatum amid Finals slump

Celtics

Smart reveals message to Tatum amid Finals slump

Boston Celtics fans have been waiting for the Jayson Tatum Takeover Game in the 2022 NBA Finals. They didn’t get it in Friday night’s Game 4 at TD Garden.

Tatum had a team-high 23 points but shot just 8-of-23 from the field. He turned the ball over six times and tallied only three points in the fourth quarter. That’s when Boston needed its star most as the Golden State Warriors ended the game on a 17-3 run, winning 107-97.

Game 4 takeaways: Curry explodes for 43 points as Warriors even series

For the series, Tatum is shooting just 33.4 percent. His struggles amid Stephen Curry’s brilliance are a big reason the Celtics don’t have the Warriors on the ropes heading back to San Francisco for Game 5.

After the game, Celtics guard Marcus Smart was asked whether he’s been sharing any words of encouragement for his teammate.

“Yeah, we all are,” Smart answered. “We just constantly let him know keep going. This isn’t your first time being in a slump. Won’t be the last time. You got to figure it out. We trust you, we believe in you. This is what you’re made for. Jayson has to figure it out. We have to do a good job of helping him.

“But, you know, him being the player he is, these are the moments where he has to come alive and figure it out. He will. We don’t know when it is, but we’re sure it’s going to happen soon, we’re ready for it, and we’re here to back him up.”

Tatum knows he needs to find his groove if the Celtics are to bring home Banner 18.

“It’s on me. I got to be better,” he said after the C’s loss. “I know I’m impacting the game in other ways, but I got to be more efficient, shoot the ball better, finish at the rim better.

“I take accountability for that. I just look forward to Monday. Leave this one behind us. Learn from it, watch the film, things like that, but everybody probably feels like they got to be better, myself included. Just go get it on Monday.

Monday’s Game 5 is set for a 9 p.m. ET tip-off at Chase Center.