NBA champion Jayson Tatum delivers powerful message before Celtics’ Round 2 battle vs. Knicks

The reigning 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics made quick work of the Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, finishing the series in five games. Boston's 6-time All-Star Jayson Tatum put his elite scoring ability on full display against the league's No. 2 ranked defense in the regular season (109.

1 team defensive rating), as he discarded the Magic by averaging a cool 36.0 points spanning the final three contests of the series. Following the Celtics' dominant 120-89 closeout victory in Game 5 on Tuesday, the elite forward took a chance during his post-game media availability to heap praise onto the team by crediting their collective grit and consistency.

"A couple of guys (were) really banged up and dealing with some things," Tatum shared with reporters Friday night. "But showing that mental toughness of getting up and getting ready for each game, and doing whatever it takes, whatever the game calls for and just figuring out a way to win." "That's all that matter this time of the year, and as a group we've been through it all.

We showed it and proved it this series." Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp "We're looking forward to the next one." The Celtics' journey to a potential repeat as NBA champions in 2025 began with a bang in the playoffs thanks in large part to Tatum, who delivered as a lethal scoring threat and all-around offensive weapon in the first round.

The 27-year-old's 35 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds to send Orlando home in Game 5 showed that he's ready to lead the storied franchise back to the mountain-top, though he'll have to get through Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Yes, Boston did sweep the regular season series against New York 4-0 with a convincing 16.3-point average margin of victory in those four contests, but it's been proven that anything can happen when the postseason rolls around.

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