Former NBA Player Sends Strong Jayson Tatum Message Before Celtics-Knicks Game 3

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Evan Massey | Last updated May 10, 2025 8:35 AM ET

Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics find themselves in a 2-0 series hole heading into Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Knicks in Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.

After holding big leads in both Game 1 and Game 2 and collapsing to let the Knicks come back for wins, the Celtics are facing a lot of criticism. Tatum has received a lot of negative takes as well.

Throughout the first two games of the series, Tatum has averaged just 18 points per game to go along with 15 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.5 steals. He has shot a dismal 28.6% from the floor and 25% from 3-point range.

Despite the low production, the 27-year-old star still has plenty of people in his corner as well. One of them is former NBA player Jay Williams, who is currently an analyst for ESPN.

In a segment on "First Take" on Friday, Williams spoke out strongly and sent a bold message about the Boston star.

"There's a lot of people out there questioning the legacy of Jayson Tatum," he said. "His (expletive) legacy is cemented. Is it complete? No, it's not."

"There's a lot of people out there questioning the legacy of Jayson Tatum. ... His damn legacy is cemented. Is it complete? No, it's not."

—@RealJayWilliams pic.twitter.com/ZP09LrNIp3
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 9, 2025

There are good reasons for the criticism that he is receiving in the Celtics' current series. However, he has proven he's one of the best players in the NBA throughout his career.

Game 3 is scheduled to tip off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon. Boston simply cannot afford to go down 3-0 in the series.

Tatum will be asked to step up in a big way. If he is unable to do so, the Celtics will have a difficult time turning the series around.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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