Jayson Tatum realizes superstardom when Celtics need him most
Jayson Tatum is no longer 19 years previous. He’s 24, and he has already skilled a lifetime of NBA playoff video games for the Boston Celtics, however none so legendary as Friday’s efficiency together with his season on the road.
The Celtics suffered a devastating collapse in Recreation 5, blowing a 14-point lead with 10 minutes remaining to present the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks a 3-2 lead within the Japanese Convention semifinals. Not solely did a stellar season flash earlier than their eyes, however a reliable probability to win the championship had flatlined. Boston confronted the NBA’s nightmare — an elimination sport towards Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.
TD Backyard was silent. Celtics staff have been somber. “We gave it away,” mentioned Jaylen Brown, who exited an emptied enviornment alone on Wednesday. Added their coach, Ime Udoka: “We gave up a golden alternative.”
Tatum took a distinct tact. He may sense the road of questioning in his postgame information convention was searching for some admission of defeat, even smiling at instances, earlier than reassuring Boston, “Sequence isn’t over.”
“I may come up right here and pout, be unhappy, and I am certain there could be an enormous story about how we’re defeated, and I do not consider us,” he mentioned. “You’ll be able to’t change what occurred. It stinks, for certain, however it’s 3-2, and it is the primary to 4. There is not any sense in being unhappy … as a result of that is not going to do something for the following sport. All the time be optimistic and consider in your self, consider within the group, that we will win the sport on Friday.”
So, he did, totally realizing his all-time nice potential in a 108-95 win to drive Recreation 7 in Boston on Sunday.
“This was our season on the road,” mentioned Tatum. “Go away all of it on the ground. That is the mindset that I’ve — the mindset that all of us have — so I wasn’t going to have any regrets. I used to be simply attempting to do what it took.”
Tatum’s first 3-pointer got here lower than three minutes into Recreation 6. His second gave the Celtics a 15-6 lead 66 seconds later. Boston led on Friday evening for all however 3:42 of the primary quarter, when Antetokounmpo made clear he wouldn’t make the Celtics’ job any simpler than near-impossible. However Tatum answered each name.
“That is why he will get paid the massive bucks,” Celtics teammate Marcus Smart instructed reporters. “That is it, proper there, for moments like that. I used to be telling him the entire sport, ‘Simply be you, man,’ and he was.”
He began 4 for 4 from 3-point vary. He drove for layups previous Jrue Holiday, over Brook Lopez and thru every other Bucks who dared defend him. He had 18 factors on the half, matching Antetokounmpo bucket for bucket. Tatum added 12 extra within the third quarter, the final two of which tickled the twine on a step-back 23-footer in Bobby Portis‘ vast eyes and gave Boston an 82-68 edge within the ultimate seconds of the third quarter.
Tatum opened his bag, eliminated the contents and gave Milwaukee every little thing he had.
“I used to be excited to play right this moment,” he mentioned. “This can be a massive second for all of us, for myself and the crew, simply how we’d reply. Shedding Recreation 5 was both going to make us or break us, and I believe we confirmed a whole lot of toughness and development, popping out right here and getting the win on the street and giving ourselves an opportunity.”
However this was Antetokounmpo’s home, and he was attempting to inform his guests they have been now not welcome. The reigning Finals MVP had 32 factors of his personal by way of three quarters. He had his 40 early within the fourth, when his 3-pointer slashed Boston’s erstwhile 18-point result in 85-81. It was all too harking back to his 3 that turned Milwaukee’s fourth-quarter comeback in Recreation 5 and downright mirrored his 50-point Recreation 6 that closed out the Phoenix Suns within the 2021 Finals, right down to his near-perfect evening from the free-throw line.
Solely, Tatum withstood Antetokounmpo’s barrage and delivered the knockout. He scored Boston’s subsequent 10 factors, half of which he delivered with contested jumpers because the shot clock expired, to push the lead again to 95-87. Milwaukee couldn’t get off the mat. 4 straight Tatum free throws amped the result in 13 inside two minutes and gave him 46 factors on the evening. The Bucks threw within the towel and pulled their starters.
“You have to give him credit score,” mentioned Antetokounmpo. “He performed unbelievable. He led his crew to a win. He made a whole lot of powerful photographs. As a crew, we have been doing a great job being in entrance of him, making him shoot contested 3s, contested 2s, however he made them, and you have to respect that. He performed unbelievable.”
Solely Wilt Chamberlain has scored extra factors in victory when going through elimination after the primary spherical earlier than his twenty fifth birthday. Chamberlain netted 50 factors towards Invoice Russell’s Celtics in Recreation 5 of the 1960 Japanese Convention finals. He didn’t match the hassle in a Recreation 6 loss two days later. That’s Tatum’s project in Recreation 7 towards Antetokounmpo’s Bucks on Sunday. A title shot and greatness awaits on the opposite aspect.
And Tatum is taking his identical reassuring perspective residence to Boston.
“I am trying ahead to it, really,” he mentioned some 36 hours earlier than tipoff. “Simply profitable this sport and giving ourselves an opportunity to return, that is it. It is do or die, and it will be enjoyable. That is purported to be enjoyable. It is basketball. Greatest moments, largest stage, and when it boils down, I simply go on the market and have enjoyable.”
Tatum went toe to toe with LeBron James as a rookie in Recreation 7 of the 2018 Japanese Convention finals. He scored 50 factors reverse Kevin Durant in final season’s playoffs and swept his Brooklyn Nets this yr. And he simply out-dueled Giannis Antetokounmpo in a street elimination sport. He has given the three biggest gamers of their technology all they might deal with. Jayson Tatum is not 19 anymore. He is an NBA celebrity.
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Ben Rohrbach is a workers author for Yahoo Sports activities. Have a tip? Electronic mail him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or comply with him on Twitter! Follow @brohrbach
