With the NBA Finals finally kicking off between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks, all eyes were glued to game 1 of the series. Before the game, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal spared a moment to catch up with some special attendees to the game and one of them was Jayson Tatum’s son, Deuce.
Before the tip-off, Big Diesel was seen sharing a moment with the young Tatum in a video posted on the NBA’s official X (formerly known as Twitter) handle.
After shaking hands with the 7-year-old, the former Lakers C posed for a photograph with the little one with Deuce displaying a beaming smile on his face.
Jayson Tatum and his high school sweetheart, Toriah Lachell, welcomed Deuce in December 2017. Junior Tatum is often seen on the courtside seats with his granny to catch his father in action for the Cs. “Every time he comes to the game, he sees how I give it my all, I’m doing everything I can in my power to help us win. Because as he gets older, team, sports, that’s what’s most important is winning and everything else besides that will follow,” Jayson Tatum once said.
While the former Celtics center had the wholesale moment with Deuce that went viral on social media, the 4-time NBA Champion was not there to root for his father’s team.
Shaquille O’Neal Sides With Jayson Tatum’s Opposition in NBA Finals
Jayson Tatum and his Celtics side were impressive throughout the regular season and in the playoffs as well. En route to the Finals, they dispatched the Heat, the Cavs and the Pacers. But for Shaquille O’Neal, they don’t have the kryptonite to the Mavs’ Superman, Luka Doncic.
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During a recent segment on “Inside The NBA”, Shaq sided with the Mavs stating, “The Celtics do not have three or four guys that can guard Luka. I like Dallas in this series. I like the way they’re playing.”
Jayson Tatum and his peers, however, proved the big man wrong as they outmuscled the Dallas franchise in game 1 on Thursday. In the 107-89 win, the Celtics were the superior side from start to finish with Tatum adding 16 points on the board along with 11 rebounds and 5 assists. Despite his 6-16 shooting from the field, Kristaps Porzingis’ return boosted the Boston side to shut out the Mavs.
On Sunday, the two teams will lock horns again at the TD Garden, and Tatum will have a massive chance to prove Shaq wrong by going up 2-0 against the Mavs before the series heads to Dallas.
