For some players, the final moments of important games can be too big. They got caught up in the pressure and couldn’t deliver for their team. Hey, they’re only human. It happens.
Then there’s Jayson Tatum.
On Saturday night, Boston Celtics’ superstar buried the latest clutch shot of his career when he drove a late three-point dagger in the Philadelphia 76ers’ heart. This happened despite Joel Embiid’s best almost-heroic efforts. (When all is said and done, only this absurd angle of Tatum’s shot might do the ridiculous 110-107 game-winner proper justice.)
After the game, Tatum gave his account of what happened before and after the shot.
The ice-cold way Tatum described what he said to teammate Grant Williams coming out of Boston’s last timeout makes it seem like he just knew his shot was going in. On a tough overall shooting where Tatum was only 7-of-17 shooting with 18 points, it doesn’t look like his confidence ever waned.
Big-time players make big-time plays when they have to, you know?
"Coming out that timeout, I told Grant… it's game time."
Jayson Tatum on his game-winner tonight. pic.twitter.com/5uId65zDbT
— NBA (@NBA) February 26, 2023
Man… am I the only one who notices how matter-of-fact Tatum seems as he describes the play? It’s almost as if he’s treating beating a fellow Eastern Conference heavyweight in the final moments like it’s business as usual. Which, well, for Tatum, I suppose it probably is!
As a credit to Tatum, despite his shooting woes, he had a well-rounded performance with 13 boards and six assists. It’s that kind of production that likely put the ice-in-his-veins star in a position to win the game in the closing seconds.
Big-time players not only make big-time plays: they adapt to adverse circumstances, too.
