“Not the Mamba Mentality”: Bringing Up Kobe Bryant Ties, Former Celtic Calls Out Jayson Tatum’s Performance vs. Knicks

The chaos of the NBA playoffs reached new heights following the Knicks’ Game 2 victory over the Celtics. Against all odds, New York entered Boston and won both games while being the underdog. The defending NBA champions look like a shell of themselves, and Jayson Tatum’s woes are on full display. Former 2008 champion with the Celtics, Kendrick Perkins, calls out Tatum for not displaying his form of “Mamba Mentality.”

Ahead of the 2024-25 season, the Knicks made key moves to bolster their roster. They made significant trades to land Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. On paper, it seemed they had an ideal roster to pose a threat to the Celtics. That didn’t go as planned during the regular season.

Boston swept the season series between the two teams. However, New York’s response has come at the most crucial time of the year. They now head back to Madison Square Garden with a huge 2-0 lead. There are plenty of storylines from these first two games, but Tatum’s horrid performance thus far is at the top of the list.

The Knicks’ defense has seemingly gotten under Tatum’s skin. He doesn’t look close to his usual self. Tatum is one of Kobe Bryant’s disciples from the younger generation. Unfortunately, he isn’t playing anywhere near the level that would make the “Black Mamba” proud.

In the recent episode of ESPN’s First Take, Kendrick Perkins discussed Tatum’s connection to Bryant and harshly urged the Celtics star to get his act together before the team finds itself on the brink of elimination.

“[Tatum] has been on record saying how he and Kobe Bryant’s relationship was being a mentor to him,” Perkins said. “That’s not the ‘Mamba Mentality.’ Way far from it.”

Perkins’ comments may come off as hyperbolic, but his opinion is just. Through the first two games, Tatum is shooting an abysmal 28.6% from the field. In Game 2, he finished with a measly 13 points, including the poor last-second attempt to potentially win the game in the closing moments.

The six-time All-Star needs to be better, according to Perkins. He wants Tatum to not only improve his efficiency and shot selection but also show more effort on the defensive end of the ball. That also goes for Tatum’s All-Star running mate, Jaylen Brown.

“Last time I checked, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are supposed to be two-way players,” Perkins said. “Are they defending at a high level? I mean, at some point, it’s time for Jayson Tatum to take that leap.”

The situation might not look ideal for the Celtics, but the series is far from over. If any team has the firepower and talent to come back in this series, it’s the Celtics. The problem is if Tatum continues to perform the way he has been, there is no chance Boston will be in a position to defend their title.