How often do you think about the past NBA Finals? so Jaylen after game one you were quick to remind all of us that you had been in this position before up in the NBA finals and didn't complete the mission how often are you thinking back to 2022 to guard against taking your foot off the gas um not as often as you would think I think you definitely want to learn from the past um but I think this is a new moment and we're just trying to encourage my guys to kind of stay within that moment and focus on what's in front of us the pass is the p and I think we have opportunity to write our own future right here so we just got to stay in the moment as you're writing that future you've had some incredibly def impressive defensive plays throughout this finals I know your primary assignment has been Luca but as a help Defender you have been integral in stopping Kyrie Irving as well are there practices that you think back to where How can you learn what Kyrie Irving’s next move is going to be? you were on the same team that you can evoke and know his next move a little bit more a lot of a lot of film a lot of studying the game studying your opponent to see what you think their next move or would be you know kind of following just Tendencies but you know at this at this level in the speed of the game um you just got to trust your instincts and like my instincts tell me to make a play you know I do my best job to be in the in the position but um I rely on my teammates a lot you know the coverages whatever we're we're in and they kind of helped me in that process as well what makes Kyrie Irving and Luca donic such a Luka and Kyrie duo difficult tandem to face just their god-given ability you know those two guys are you know extremely gifted you know um it's almost like magical when they what they can do with the ball in their hands Luca um just his Pace his shot making ability you know what I mean his ability to create separation Kyrie his his speed his ability to just stop on a dime and then you know just the just his cra cess is like they they can pull something out or nothing at at times and um you got to be extremely alert and aware at all times because if you give them any room for comfortability they can they can turn that into a a 10 15 20 points per the energy can shift as exactly as you like to say do you think this is the best basketball you've played in your career me personally um so far yes yeah I think that I've improved on a lot of different different things uh um my weaknesses or Best basketball you’ve played in your career? things that I needed to improve on um and I just um one thing that I probably make the biggest adjustment is just my mindset my mentality like just being your focused but aggressive you know no no fear no doubt no insecurity playing with a clear mind and just trying to be as dominant as possible is that something you said that's a change is that something you felt like you didn't have to this level maybe the last time you were here I mean yeah it's it's it's tough um to maintain you're in the moment you're excited you you nervous or whatever then you also got you know your own personal expectations you put your own pressure on yourself as well I think last time I put so much more pressure on myself than I have this time and it's hard playing against two opponents it's enough playing against one so I try to keep it like that this go around playing against yourself and playing against that outside you know an actual opponent must be tough this is this stood out to me when you said that you're at a point a point in your life where you don't give an f you said I might not get the credit and the respect and I'm okay with that you won Conference Finals MVP finals MVP is certainly something that's within reach would a Finals MVP a championship would that be the credit What would it mean to win Finals MVP? that you're you're talking about a championship that's more of like a team Accolade that's what we play this game for um I guess what I was alluding to was more just what how people the the discourse around myself um and that's what I don't give a about you know but what you do as a team um that's what I do care about and that's what I want to achieve that's what I want to um be a part of and I think that's what we all are here for but you know personally anything that's personal and that's the stuff that you know has rolled off my shoulder through time can you be more specific as something that maybe didn't for me I know there are things that used to not roll off my shoulders and now I'm a little bit more confident rolling them back for example uh I think everybody who is aspiring in their career has the you know the want and desire to be acknowledged for their skill set or whatever they do in their craft especially if they feel like they're one of the best um I think that's a normal natural human emotion um and you get to the point where no matter how good you are no matter how you might not feel like that credit is being reciprocated so you get to the point where you just stop you just don't care you don't need someone's outside validation I don't need the acknowledgement from others I don't need the pat on the back I don't need the warmth from the village to know that I'm a great player um and in life you might be a great reporter or a great chef or a great musician and you know you shouldn't always rely on people telling you that you're on this top 100 or you you may you won this an award or to know that you're a great musician and that's kind of where I got to yeah or made this all NBA team I imagine that's pretty freeing to be able to just have to look inside and feel that sort of in that same vein so much has been made about Celtics’ expectations this team and this team's expectations and often times I think that boils down to you and it boils down to Jason Tatum and he's been asked about it several times in this series and I think he's handled it with such Grace but also I imagine that's grading what are you to say to him as someone who feels that who's been in this position before of people saying well you're performing but it's not enough once again I think it goes back into that same point you know people are going to have their opinions um and opin I of your loved ones the opinions of your teammates the ones that closest to you I think those are what is going to matter most and uh from us from people that you know are in in the fight with him I think he's been fine you know I think he's J JT is added to winning he's helped our team get to this position like he draws a lot of attention um he has a gravity to him that has allowed others to be successful and help our team win and I think that's just what the ultimate is about it's a team game um I know like we have narratives and things that we want to see and that makes the game exciting the story we get the side of it but man we trying to win like that's it so just stay focused on what matters most um I think that helps you navigate through it um but I think we're we've been we've been fine over here what's impressed you the most about Jason through this postseason run um that I think him just being able Jayson Tatum’s postseason run to navigate that I think that's tough cuz you know expectations and pressure from others and and stuff like that can can get to you can get to your head if you allow it I think just being able to manage it um just trusting your teammates trusting the coaching staff and the game plan I think that's helped us and allow us to get here and be in the finals this Boston Celtics team is such an ensemble it's not just one guy you all come at your opponents in waves and Chris STS porzingis in these two finals games has been such a huge part of that and now his status for the Kristaps Porzingis foreseeable future is unknown how do you all deal with that as a team not having him potentially the rest of the way yeah KP has been fantastic for not just hearing the playoffs but really for us all season long like he is a large part of the reason why we've been able to be a 16 win team like just you know the the the presence that he's been able to have you know just has unlocked everyone you know so um his availability is important um obviously we're going to just take it dayto day see how he feels um see what the doctors say but you know having him out there is important to us and now we're in Dallas ahead of game three game three is huge because either you could take a lead that no team has ever relented given up before or Dallas could crack back open the door how are you approaching this one stand in the moment How are you approaching Game 3? um you just stay in the moment as much as possible um you focus on your job the details um cuz that's what matters the most I think that if we are are we stay present I think we'll be fine staying present I think that you do a wonderful job from what I know of you but it's so much easier said than done at least for me sometimes have you even allowed yourself you know get dressed in the morning maybe brushing your teeth does your thought ever just drift ever so slightly to what it would feel like to finish the job um yes and you got to pull it back as much as possible when that drifting starts to happen that's where the door starts to open um and you got to close that door you know what I mean you got to close it stay in the moment you got to finish the job you got to do your job every single day you got to lead your team um you got to you know guide your team make sure everybody's prepared and ready and that's what is most important you can't you don't have time for at you just keep going every day and you'll see where you're at at the end but I bet in that half second it feels pretty sweet and then you're like nope we're not there yet we're not there yet Jaylen thank you so much thank you appreciate you appreciate you