Jayson Tatum heard the chatter.
Following a subpar Game 1 and Game 2, by his standards, many soured on him and questioned his ability as a superstar.
Tatum simply brushed off the criticism, prepared for Game 3 like he would any other, and moved forward. The result was a much better performance, in which he finished with 22 points (including 5-of-9 shooting from 3-point range), 9 rebounds, and 7 assists in the Celtics’ 115-93 triumph over the Knicks on Saturday.
Afterward, while speaking with reporters at Madison Square Garden, Tatum discussed his mind-set and how he stays levelheaded through it all.