On June 17th, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks to win the NBA Finals in five games. This series victory marked Tatum’s first championship of his career, and the Celtics’ first since 2008. Though the Celtics were the NBA’s best team on paper by a wide margin, many still doubted their chances of winning it all. Many believed the Celtics had too many flaws that would be impossible to overcome. More specifically, many felt that the Celtics choked too many wins away in late-game situations. While a valid conversation, the team proved time and time again throughout the season that they were a different Celtics team than NBA fans became accustomed to. And, ultimately, they proved it.
In a recent interview with Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, Tatum revealed exactly when he knew the Celtics would win the NBA Finals this year. According to Tatum, he knew after the Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs (subscription required).
“People always ask me, when did you guys know you were going to win a championship?” Tatum said. “When Minnesota beat Denver, I felt like Denver was the only team that they matched up best with us. I thought that we were going to play Denver in the Finals, and it was going to be a good one.”
Though many predicted the Nuggets to win their second consecutive championship this year, they failed to make it to the Finals after losing to Minnesota in a brutal seven-game series.
Jayson Tatum Reveals When He Knew Celtics Would Win Title
Why Jayson Tatum Was Right About the Nuggets
Last season was Denver’s first campaign after winning the championship in 2023. They were led by star Nikola Jokic, who took home his third career MVP award this year. Most of the championship team remained intact in Denver. Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, and Ish Smith were the only notable players to depart that summer. However, even without those players, the Nuggets were still a force to be reckoned with. Furthermore, they ended the regular season with a 57-25 record. Though they were tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder with the best record in the West, Denver ultimately earned the No. 2 seed.
On paper, the Nuggets matched up well against the Celtics. Looking at the Nuggets’ roster, this was hard to argue. Furthermore, Boston’s record against Denver is interesting. The Celtics won 64 games last season. Denver was the only team that went undefeated against them. Additionally, the Nuggets were the only team the Celtics had a losing record against last season.
In the NBA Finals, anything is possible. However, especially following Kristaps Porzingis‘ injury, the Celtics would have had a tough battle against Denver.
The Last Word
The Nuggets remain one of the best teams in the league. Though they lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a key role player for them, this summer, they are still legitimate title contenders. Furthermore, Tatum seems to recognize the challenges Denver brings to Boston on paper. He appears happy they did not meet up during the NBA Finals this year. However, a Nuggets and Celtics Finals matchup in 2025 is a real possibility. Only time will tell just how well Denver will fare against Boston next season.
