Another Celtics victory was already clinched, and the one remaining suspense got here in Jayson Tatum’s palms.
Tatum was at 48 factors with lower than a minute to go, and everybody knew it. Al Horford corralled a defensive rebound with 45 seconds left, and skipped the ball over to Tatum. As he dribbled the ball up, the Boston-friendly crowd at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center stood up, anticipating a milestone second.
Everyone knew what was coming, and the Hornets nonetheless couldn’t cease it.
Tatum misplaced defender Jalen McDaniels as he pulled up for a 3-pointer. He pump-faked on a contest from LaMelo Ball, then let it fly. There was little doubt it wasn’t stepping into. When it did, he appeared round on the cheering crowd and took a cocky stroll again on protection after finishing his masterpiece.
“It’s been a while since I scored 50, so I needed that one,” Tatum instructed NBC Sports Boston after the Celtics’ 130-118 victory.
Tatum scored a season-high 51 factors – his first 50-point efficiency since final Jan. 23, when he scored 51 towards the Wizards – because the Celtics pulled away for his or her seventh consecutive win and accomplished a two-game sweep over the Hornets.
As the ultimate seconds ticked off, “MVP!” chants rained down on Tatum on the Spectrum Center and Horford, elevating his left hand up and down, requested for them to be louder. It was deserved. Tatum, at 24 years previous, turned the Celtics’ all-time chief with 5 50-point video games within the common season, surpassing Larry Bird. Including the playoffs, Tatum has six profession 50-point video games.
“He’s special,” Derrick White instructed reporters in Charlotte. “Simple as that.”
The Celtics dominated for a lot of Monday, main by as many as 17 and having a double-digit lead late into the third quarter, however after some shaky play from their second unit, all of the sudden discovered themselves with only a two-point lead early within the fourth. But the result was by no means a lot doubtful due to Tatum, who scored 18 of his 51 over the ultimate eight minutes to protect the victory.
Tatum, who’s lately been bothered by wrist and finger points, wasn’t utilizing any excuses on Monday as he completed 15-for-23 from the ground – together with 7-for-12 from 3 – and went 14-for-14 from the free throw line. With Jaylen Brown out, the Hornets have been aggressive defending Tatum however he constantly made the precise play.
“He wants to be great, and he takes that challenge each and every night,” White instructed reporters. “Understanding that they’re blitzing him, doubling, doing a lot of different things and he’s seen a lot of different defenses through his time in the league and just making the right read off of that.”
As Tatum piled up factors within the fourth quarter, his 50-point sport all of the sudden turned attainable.
“I remember I looked up and I was like, ‘You got 45? OK,’” White mentioned.
Tatum drilled a 3 to get to 48 factors with 1:04 to go, and he was “very aware” of what was taking place when he bought the ball on the Celtics’ subsequent possession. He recalled a textual content he bought from former NBA participant Jamal Crawford after he scored 49 factors in a win over the Heat again in November.
“The thing that was going through my mind, when I had 49 against the Heat earlier this season, I took a shot and we got the ball back, but there were like 50 seconds left and I remember I waved them off. I didn’t go get the ball,” Tatum instructed reporters. “Jamal Crawford texted me after the sport. He was like, ‘Man, if you’re ever that near 50, no one’s going to recollect time and rating. They’re simply going to file when you’ve got 50 or not.’ Because in my thoughts, I used to be like I’ve scored 50 six or seven instances earlier than.
“So, when Al got that rebound and I was dribbling up the court, that was what was going through my mind. Jamal telling me if you’re ever that close to 50, go get it.”
Other takeaways and notes from Monday’s win:
– As a lot as Tatum loved his 51-point efficiency, he’s even happier with how the Celtics are taking part in throughout their seven-game successful streak through which their unselfishness has been obvious.
The Celtics’ protection has picked up over their streak however their offense is on level, even with out Brown. Their 35 assists on Saturday and 34 assists on 43 made pictures on Monday have been their second- and third-highest help totals in a sport this season.
“We were passing up good shots to get great shots,” Tatum mentioned. “Everybody was playing extremely unselfish and the ball was just finding guys. … Obviously 51 is big, but we played as a team. I think that’s what’s been really big for us these six or seven games that we’ve been winning. We’ve been able to get the shots that we want.”
– White suffered a scary-looking neck sprain early in Saturday’s win however returned Monday and didn’t look bothered by it as he completed with 19 factors and eight assists.
“I felt good. I felt good yesterday, so I was pretty comfortable playing today,” White mentioned. “No hesitation or anything like that.”
– The Celtics entered this weekend’s two-game collection with the Hornets 1-3 within the format – having cut up with the Heat and swept by the Magic – and have been thrilled to depart Charlotte with a sweep of their very own. Tatum missed that second Magic loss because of private causes.
“Social media was mad that I went to my son’s birthday party instead,” Tatum mentioned, referencing why he missed that sport. “But we talked about that, that we haven’t won two games in a row against the same team in this kind of format. Two games in a row, regardless of their record, they got some talented guys over there. Extremely well-coached. I have a lot of respect for Coach (Steve) Clifford. So, coming in here and winning two in a row, it was something that we really, really wanted to do.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com