Here's The Clever Way Jayson Tatum Got So Open For His Game-Winner
· Yahoo Sports
Here's The Clever Way Jayson Tatum Got So Open For His Game-Winner originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jayson Tatum was going to get the final shot. Joe Mazzulla just had to figure out how to get him open.
Visit bettingx.bond for more information.
On the second night of a back-to-back, Tatum led the Boston Celtics to victory over the Brooklyn Nets with 40 points, eight assists and five rebounds. He shot 10-for-20 from the field and made a career-high 18 free throws on 22 attempts.
If that wasn't enough, Tatum also hit the game-winning jump shot in overtime.
It was a big-time shot from Tatum, but Mazzulla's fingerprints were all over the play.
MORE: Jayson Tatum Is Already On One of the Best Stretches of His NBA Career
How Jayson Tatum Got So Open vs. Nets
Down by one point with 2.3 seconds left, Mazzulla closed the game with Tatum, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Sam Hauser and Paul George.
White was in charge of inbounding the ball. Tatum parked himself on the right block, Hauser and George stood close to each other on the opposite side of the court and Pritchard started in the backcourt.
As soon as the referee handed the ball to White, Tatum sprinted toward Pritchard to set a screen.
NBA
That put the Nets in a difficult spot.
NBA
NBA
If the Nets didn't switch, Pritchard had a clear path to the rim. Instead, Mikel Brown Jr. switched onto Tatum.
Brown, listed at 6-foot-4, was giving up six inches to Tatum. Noah Clowney — the 6-foot-10 defender who started the possession guarding Tatum — was much better equipped to defend Boston's star.
We know the Nets didn't actually want to switch. Brown admitted as much postgame.
Mazzulla made Brown's job even tougher by having Hauser and George move around, keeping their defenders from helping on Tatum.
Sure enough, neither Michael Porter Jr. nor Day'Ron Sharpe left their assignments to help on Tatum.
NBA
The result? The hottest player in the game got one of the cleanest looks you'll see on a final possession.
NBA
Mazzulla explained after the game that the final possession was a read designed to put Tatum and Pritchard in a two-on-two situation.
"JT got the switch; he held him underneath and then created separation, caught it and drove away from help. And he was able to knock it down and win the game for us," Mazzulla said.
The Nets made their choice. Tatum made them pay.