The question tickles Jayson Tatum. A journalist has just asked him what he felt after converting this “jumper”, at the free throw line, three minutes after the start of the fourth quarter. The journalist then pointed out to him that he had not yet scored in the final period since the start of this conference final.
” Uh… I didn’t put any shots in the game, but I did get some free throws in the fourth quarter… », immediately corrects the Celtics playerwith the beginning of a yellow smile, before moving on to the difficulties of his team to maneuver against the defense of the opposing zone.
Tatum, the man who cut out the 76ers in the final moments of Game 6, had actually only scored from the penalty line in the fourth quarters of this series. This sequence is now a thing of the past with its end to the meeting of a completely different caliber, this night in Miami, while the Celtics were playing their survival.
A LeBronesque game
After this first “jumper”, undoubtedly liberating, he chained impact actions: a decisive pass under the circle to Marcus Smart, a counter on Gabe Vincent at 3-points, an award-winning basket out of a dribble, a new shift to Smart behind the arc…
On arrival, 11 (with only shots in the game) of his 33 points (14/22 on shots including 4/8 from afar) scored in this final period dominated by Boston (20-28). ” Trailing 3-0, we came here without putting too much pressure on ourselves. We try to take one match at a time. We weren’t thinking of winning four in a row tonight, we just tried to save our season, that’s what we did “Summarizes Tatum who completed his line with 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 blocks and +20 to the score when he was in play.
His performance also allows him to get closer to LeBron James in terms of playoff games with more than 30 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.
Jayson Tatum has 6 30-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist games this postseason, tied for 2nd-most in a single postseason all-time.
Only LeBron James in 2018 had more (7). pic.twitter.com/R6Ywf2Ql2v
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 24, 2023
Author of two important 3-point baskets in the previous quarter, to start his team’s impressive 18-0, the winger believes that his teammates in him, in addition to signing their ” best defensive game “, had played ” rhythmically and with determination. We made stops, we played in transition. When you see layups and free throws coming in, it’s much easier to convert shots. »
And thus erase the bad impression left in the first three games that Boston ” did not deserve to win according to him. Tatum and his family therefore had to react: “ We didn’t want not only [ce début de série] characterizes us, that this characterizes our season. We still have a long way to go. But tonight was a good start, we will try to continue this momentum until Thursday. »
| Jayson Tatum | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2017-18 | BOS | 80 | 31 | 47.5 | 43.4 | 82.6 | 0.6 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 13.9 |
| 2018-19 | BOS | 79 | 31 | 45.0 | 37.3 | 85.5 | 0.9 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 15.7 |
| 2019-20 | BOS | 66 | 34 | 45.0 | 40.3 | 81.2 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 23.4 |
| 2020-21 | BOS | 64 | 36 | 45.9 | 38.6 | 86.8 | 0.8 | 6.6 | 7.4 | 4.3 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 26.4 |
| 2021-22 | BOS | 76 | 36 | 45.3 | 35.3 | 85.3 | 1.1 | 6.9 | 8.0 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 26.9 |
| 2022-23 | BOS | 74 | 37 | 46.6 | 35.0 | 85.4 | 1.1 | 7.7 | 8.8 | 4.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 30.1 |
| Total | 439 | 34 | 45.8 | 37.5 | 84.7 | 0.9 | 6.1 | 7.0 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 22.5 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
