Boston sports fans may have gotten a bit of a bad rap in recent years, with Lakers star LeBron James calling Celtics fans “racist as f—” and even the Celtics’ own Jaylen Brown saying there’s a portion of the fanbase that’s “extremely toxic”, but heading into the 2024 NBA All-Star break, Celtics star Jayson Tatum had nothing but praise for the fanbase that’s been regarded as one of the best in the nation.
“I’ve been very fortunate, seven years now, to be in Boston and they truly do have the best fans in the league,” Tatum told Fox News Digital. “They support us night in and night out. Just want to repay them with good basketball. They give us so much and energy at every game. You don’t want to let them down in that sense.”
Though the Celtics boasted an incredible 20-0 record at home, after losing a close game to reigning NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic, the Celtics are now a still more than respectable 20-1 at the TD Garden.
“I’m sick that we lost that last game. I was trying to damn near go undefeated at home. But 20-1 is not a bad start. It’s been fun to see,” Tatum continued.
Tatum added that this year’s Celtics squad might be one of the most talented he’s ever played with, especially with the roster being bolstered by some of the team’s offseason additions, most notably in the form of Jrue Holliday and Kristaps Porzingis.
“Obviously, we have some new additions to our team with KP and Jrue Holiday. Those guys have been terrific all season and just add a different dynamic to our team,” Tatum said. “It’s not that the other teams haven’t been talented, but I think this is probably the most talented team I’ve been on and the most understanding in, like, we’re all sacrificing maybe our numbers a little bit.”
Tatum noted that despite the Celtics boasting such a wide degree of talent, it’s a team mentality that sets this team apart from the rest.
“Nobody’s necessarily going to have a career year points per game-wise because we’re all sharing the wealth,” Tatum continued. “Everybody has the ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot, attack, make plays for others. But we’re really enjoying each other’s success and having a lot fun with the process.”
Jayson Tatum is expected to be selected to the 2024 NBA All-Star team. It would mark his fifth selection to the team.
Last season Tatum made history by scoring a record-setting 55 points in the 2023 All-Star Game.
Do you think Boston sports fans are some of the most passionate and animated in the world? What do you think about Jayson Tatum and the Celtics’ lineup this year? Let us know in the comments.
