{"id":77009,"date":"2020-02-14T03:17:41","date_gmt":"2020-02-14T03:17:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=77009"},"modified":"2021-09-01T12:00:48","modified_gmt":"2021-09-01T12:00:48","slug":"in-leading-his-team-to-a-thrilling-141-133-2ot-win-jayson-tatum-makes-it-clear-that-these-are-his-celtics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/in-leading-his-team-to-a-thrilling-141-133-2ot-win-jayson-tatum-makes-it-clear-that-these-are-his-celtics\/","title":{"rendered":"In leading his team to a thrilling 141-133 2OT win, Jayson Tatum makes it clear that these are his Celtics"},"content":{"rendered":"

BOSTON \u2013 With the Clippers making a run at the end of the third quarter, Jayson Tatum took over as only he can.<\/p>\n

He drove into a space under the basket cleared out by rookie Grant Williams and threw down a monstrous one-hand dunk with 32.6 seconds left to increase Boston\u2019s lead to four. When Lou Williams answered that dunk with a three, Tatum was not about to be outdone. He found his spot on the left side and put a side-step move and drained a three of his own with 6.8 seconds left in the quarter. That five-point explosion lit up the Garden and propelled the Celtics into the fourth quarter with a 91-87 lead.<\/p>\n

With Jaylen Brown sidelined with a bruised left calf, it was again up to the 21-year-old to take over. And he most certainly did. The third-year pro finished with a game-high 39 points and nine rebounds. He made it clear Thursday night in the final game before the All-Star break, this is his team.<\/p>\n

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THROW IT DOWN JT!!! pic.twitter.com\/xnR2SQx6aW<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 14, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Yes, the Celtics still have Marcus Smart as their inspirational leader and general. And yes, Kemba Walker offers a steady hand of a veteran at point guard. But there is no doubting who their go-to guy is. It’s the third-year star out of Duke. In 50 games this season, he’s averaging 22.4 points and 6.9 rebounds in 34 minutes a game.<\/p>\n

He didn’t make every clutch shot, missing one at the end of the first overtime that would’ve won the game at the buzzer. But he kept delivering in the second overtime and showed the stamina of a kid who is just hitting his stride in the league.<\/p>\n

In the fourth quarter alone, he blocked a shot, drove the length of the court for another prodigious slam, just moments after he getting called for a technical foul because he was called for a traveling violation.<\/p>\n

With 2:23 left in regulation, he hit a three that put the Celtics up, 112-109. With the Celtics protecting a 112-111 lead with 1:35 left, and Leonard chasing him all over, he ran to a spot on the right side and drained a 14-footer with just enough space to get the shot airborne. Big shot after big play after big shot.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wants the challenge,” Brad Stevens said. “I mean nobody respects Kawhi more than Jayson and appreciates him more than Jayson. He is going to play his heart out against him on both ends of the court because he knows if you don\u2019t you get embarrassed pretty easily. I thought he did a really good job. You just try and make those shots as tough as possible. When Jayson is able to challenge shots his length is a factor. He did that on a lot of occasions and Kawhi still hit a few, as did the other guys. He played a good two-way game and has been a good two-way player all year. I think that is what makes us feel really comfortable. He was playing at an all-star level on both ends of the court.\u201d<\/p>\n