The stakes are high tonight for both Boston and Dallas ahead of Game 5. After the Mavs made history with their Game 4 comeback, the Celtics are now leading 3-1. And in his second-ever Finals appearance, Jayson Tatum is preparing for this crucial juncture. In reality, he’s been criticized the entire series for not putting up performances as good as Jaylen Brown. A report even revealed that Tatum’s mother was “very upset” about the fanbase’s words. Many seem to think that Tatum lacks the mindset required before a game as pivotal as the one tonight. However, it all comes down to this. Does he have what it takes to close the series in 5 games?

Can Jayson Tatum help bring the Celtics’ 18th banner home tonight?

On ESPN, LA Sparks player Chiney Ogwumike weighed in and said, “This is absolutely the most important game, I would argue, of [Jayson Tatum’s] career.” This was a reaction to Tatum’s comments after he was in conversation with Malika Andrews only moments earlier. And while JT definitely seemed to be in a similar mindset, he also had a sense of mixed feelings going into the game. When asked about the importance of winning Finals MVP, Tatum shockingly responded, “It’s important, but it’s not the main thing.”

He tried to explain his feelings by citing the examples of many NBA legends, including Steph and Kobe, who didn’t have so many MVP titles to their name. He said, “I wouldn’t be the slightest bit sad that I didn’t win the Finals MVP; I would be ecstatic just to win the Finals.”

The recently turned 26-year-old expressed how he felt grateful that people had so many expectations, despite him not having been in the league for that long. He also opened up about his relationship with Jaylen Brown and how the two are pitted against each other. He said, “Because we didn’t win a Championship…People just assumed that something had to be wrong…We had to go through everything that we went through, all the failures, all the tough losses, people saying one of us should be traded.

“It just brought us closer together instead. We needed each other more than we ever thought,” he concluded. The Celtics are currently tied with the LA Lakers for most titles won; 17 each. A victory this season would drive them to the top of the league leaderboard.

Will the Tatum & the Celtics be able to overtake the LA Lakers?

Jayson Tatum has had his best career record this season. In addition, he became the first player in Celtics history to record at least 25 40-point games, alongside Larry Bird. After LeBron James, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, Nikola Jokic, and Luka Doncic, Tatum became the sixth player in NBA history to lead his team in points, rebounds, and assists while making it to the NBA Finals. Despite the stellar performance, the player’s confidence falls weak sometimes. Recently, he commented, “We would love to win tomorrow, but if it doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world.”

This comment sparked debate about whether Tatum has the vigor needed to win Game 5. Chiney Ogwumike said, “Tatum had 31-6-5 in Game 3, but Jaylen Brown got a lot of credit because he closed it. I want him (Tatum) to want more, meaning not just show up with the 31-6-5, but close with an emphasis”. Earlier, in the series, even Jason Kidd seemingly tried pushing the duo’s levers by picking out the better one. While many speculated this to be a tactic to upset the dressing room, the Mavs HC later admitted that he didn’t intend to start such a debate.

Fans can barely hold their excitement for tonight. All eyes will be on Tatum and Brown. Whether the duo will be able to drive their team to their 18th title remains to be seen. Tune in at 8:20 pm EST tonight to witness history.

But now that you’re here, check out what Leonardo Armato had to say about the Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese debate.