They might happen in later games and even rounds. Other playoff game-winning shots might be more difficult. The presence of former teammate Kyrie Irving only adds to what is already a fantastically compelling matchup. From NBA.com Staff Ap4:40 PM Jayson Tatum scores 31, including a spinning layup that beats the buzzer, as Boston withstands 39 points from Kyrie Irving to win a thrilling series. If the rest of this best-of-seven clash is as closely fought, Tatum’s heroics could prove the difference. Game 1 confirmed all of that and then some. GRADE: Celtics-Nets was immediately billed as a can’t-miss first-round series. Celtics fans exulted, jubilant witnesses of yet another timeless playoff moment in Boston. Al Horford, a veteran of 125 playoff games with no Finals appearances to show for it, hugged and hung on to his superstar teammate in pure gratitude. □ AT THE BUZZER □ /hLY0SMusm6ĬELEBRATION: Arms raised in triumph, Tatum ran to the center court where he was met by a mosh pit of teammates. “It was just a layup,” Tatum said afterward. Is more than one percent of the world’s population as coordinated at anything as Tatum was in that unplanned catch-spin-shot sequence? The latter did so to Tatum, who cut away from Kevin Durant and, in one motion, caught the pass and spun around Kyrie Irving for the game-winning layup. Both Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart drew defensive attention and passed to an open teammate. The Celtics did not call timeout, adding to the free-flowing intensity of the final possessions of a remarkable game.ĭIFFICULTY: Coming out of a defensive stop instead of a timeout, there was an initially frenetic feel to the Celtics’ final chance. Key defensive stops sandwiched a Jaylen Brown bucket to give Boston the ball back and trailing by one with 15 seconds left. Despite seeing their lead morph into a three-point deficit with 45.9 seconds remaining, the Celtics did not break. GAME SITUATION: Boston led by as many as 15 before nearly folding down the stretch. For now, we’ll zoom in on Tatum’s entry into the all-time playoff highlight reel. The entire finish left players and onlookers alike flushed at the prospect of a seven-game series featuring such drama. What could have been a monumental collapse at home turned into one of the league’s trademark did-you-see-that moments when Tatum took a Marcus Smart pass and twirled around Kyrie Irving for the game-winning layup as the buzzer sounded, giving Boston the 115-114 victory. Jayson Tatum scores 31, including a spinning layup that beats the buzzer, as Boston withstands 39 points from Kyrie Irving to win a thrilling series opener. Jayson Tatum emphasized that truth in word and deed in Sunday’s epic Game 1 finish between the Celtics and Nets. Then we give it an overall grade on a scale of 1-5 Robert Horrys, named for the patron saint of last-second answered prayers. Jayson Tatum scores 31, including a spinning layup that beats the buzzer, as Boston withstands 39 points from Kyrie Irving to win a thrilling series opener.Ī reminder on The Horry Scale: It breaks down a game-winning buzzer-beater (GWBB) in the categories of difficulty, game situation (was the team tied or behind at the time?), importance (playoff game or garden-variety night in November?) and celebration.
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