Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Product Encounters Late-Game Learning Lesson

Former Duke basketball star Jayson Tatum isn't quite flawless, at least not yet.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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The perfect home record is toast. But the Boston Celtics (32-10), 20-1 in TD Garden following Friday night's 102-100 loss to the defending champion Denver Nuggets (29-14), still have the NBA's best record and a 3.5-game lead in the Eastern Conference. Equally encouraging, their centerpiece Duke basketball pro recognizes his errors.

Jayson Tatum, who finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, and five assists yet shot only 9-for-24 from the field and 1-for-8 beyond the arc, delivered a high-octane drive and dunk with 1:41 to play in the fourth quarter. That trimmed the deficit to 101-100 with 1:41 to play.

It was the contest's last made field goal, though. Across the final 20 seconds, Tatum bobbled a layup attempt in traffic that would have given the Celtics a 102-101 lead, then he came up empty on his admittedly too-frantic fadeaway off one leg, tripping backward on his rear as the clock expired on the 27-game winning streak in Boston.

"I think I kind of rushed it, and that's on me," Tatum maturely confessed to the media afterward. "In the back of my mind, I wasn't sure if they were gonna foul. They had a foul to give. But I had more time than I gave myself, so I should have took some more time — but can't go back.

"So, it's something that I can learn from."

As a 25-year-old averaging 26.9 points, 8.4 boards, and 4.4 dimes in his seventh NBA season since getting drafted No. 3 overall by the Celtics following his one-and-done Duke basketball campaign, there's not much that the winningest 2023-24 team's top weapon hasn't nearly perfected on the court.

Moreover, it's not as though the veteran playoff performer has failed to prove the existence of his clutch gene.

Still, Jayson Tatum's embrace of the lessons learned from the type of missed opportunities he encountered against Denver suggest he's determined to achieve unshakeable late-game excellence. That should be a scary thought for the rest of the league.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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