Inside The Celtics

Jayson Tatum Discusses His Game-Winning Shot vs. Sixers, Including His Message to the Celtics in the Preceding Timeout

Jayson Tatum's late-game heroics propelled the Celtics to a season-series clinching win vs. the Sixers.

Bobby Krivitsky

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
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Saturday night's rivalry clash between the Celtics and Sixers was as close to a playoff matchup as you'll find in the regular season.

The two teams went blow-for-blow in a heavyweight slugfest that came down to the wire, capped with a fitting ending for such a compelling game.

Despite his scoring struggles throughout the night, finishing with 18 points on 7/17 shooting, including 3/9 from beyond the arc, Jayson Tatum came through for his team when it mattered most.

Tatum drilled a three that gave Boston a 102-97 lead with 3:16 remaining, came crashing in for a tip-in after a Grant Williams three from the left corner was off the mark, putting the visitors ahead 107-103 with a minute to play, then buried a three for the win with two seconds left.

And while Joel Embiid nearly forced overtime, swishing a heave from in front of Philadelphia's three-point line, his shot didn't beat the buzzer.

After the Celtics' 110-107 win, clinching the season series, a significant development over an opponent that entered the night three games behind Boston in the standings, Embiid said of the final play, "I wish I would've shot it sooner, but as I turned, I saw Derrick White there, so I couldn't really get it off."

In a more celebratory trip to the podium, Tatum conveyed the following about his late-game heroics.

"Obviously, I wasn't playing well or shooting the ball well. But always shoot the ball with confidence. Believe that the next one's going in no matter what. Shoot the right shot. If you miss five in a row and the next one you wide open, you've got to shoot it; that's what's best for the team, and that's just kind of how we play."

Detailing the move itself, the four-time All-Star stated, "get separation, make a play. Felt him leaning, snatched it back, a move, a shot I've worked on a thousand times before."

After Embiid tied the tilt at 107 with 10.1 seconds left, Joe Mazzulla took a timeout. The Sixers then utilized their foul-to-give, influencing the Celtics' head coach to call for another confab with his team with 5.2 seconds on the clock.

As shown earlier, Boston then turned to an after a timeout set, commonly referred to as an ATO, that's become quite reliable, letting Tatum build momentum, coming from the backcourt, and trusting Marcus Smart to get the ball to him with a pass that requires surgeon-like precision.

Among other examples, it's a play the Celtics went to when needing a bucket to force overtime against the Cavaliers in a matchup in Cleveland earlier this season.

After beating Philadelphia, Mazzulla said it's an ATO he "stole" from Brad Stevens, who used to run it for Isaiah Thomas.

Interestingly enough, according to Tatum, there almost wasn't a second timeout after the Sixers fouled to burn clock and get an indication of what Boston might run.

"He almost didn't call a timeout. We knew the play; we just called a timeout to make sure we wanted the right guys in the right spots. But we've run that play a lot before and usually get something good out of it."

And despite struggling to find his rhythm for most of the night, Tatum's confidence never wavered.

"I wasn't surprised; I wasn't surprised at all. Coming out of that timeout, I told Grant, I said, 'it's game.' I told him, 'it's game time; we're going home.' I knew it had been a tough night, but it was a perfect story, right? Tie game, five seconds left, haven't been shooting well, come through for the guys when (we) needed it most."

The All-Star Game's MVP also shared that once he saw Embiid take a dribble, he had his back to the play, estimating there wasn't enough time on the clock for the Sixers' star center to get a shot off.

Tatum's response to Embiid swishing a heave from slightly in front of the hosts' three-point line? 

"It's the NBA, where anything can happen, right?"

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Victory vs. Sixers: Tatum Comes Through in the Clutch as Boston Wins Season Series

Film Room: How the Celtics Defend Joel Embiid

[Film Room] What Worked for Celtics' Starters vs. Pacers and What Needs Addressing

Jaylen Brown Reveals How Protective Mask Impacts His Game

Top Celtics Buyout Option Set to Reach Free Agency

Jayson Tatum Unveils Jordan Tatum 1's

Wyc Grousbeck Expects Celtics to Make Another Move: 'We’re Not Saving Roster Spots for a Rainy Day'

Published
Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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