2024 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics Star Jayson Tatum Aims For Redemption

The Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers to reach the showpiece seven-game series, where they face the Dallas Mavericks.

With Game 1 of the much-anticipated series coming on Friday, Tatum looked back at the 2022 Finals defeat to the Golden State Warriors, using the disappointment as motivation this time around.

"It's a lot that myself, and we, can learn from that experience being in the Finals, and this time, this go-around is a lot different," Tatum said after Saturday's practice.

"Obviously, we've been there before, we came up short. And a great opportunity to make it to the Finals again.

"You don't always get a second chance, so really just looking at it as a second chance and trying to simplify things as much as we can."

The Celtics were eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat last year, losing in seven games.

That has prevented Boston from avenging their finals defeat to Golden State the year before, though Tatum is keen to make up for lost time.

He will have to do so against former team-mate Kyrie Irving, however.

"Obviously there were some ups and downs, but I think, for me, being a first-, second-year player, being around a superstar, essentially, every day and seeing how to navigate that space," Tatum said.

"And then obviously on the court, he's one of the most talented guys I've ever seen.

"So it seems like a very long time ago, but I've got a lot of great memories from having [Irving] as a team-mate."