Inside The Celtics

The Top 5 Plays from the Celtics-Kings Game

From a pair of plays by Jayson Tatum to Maurice Harkless's block, Jaylen Brown's dime, and Aaron Nesmith's ankle breaker, here are the top five plays from Tuesday's game between the Celtics and Kings.

Bobby Krivitsky

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

From a pair of plays by Jayson Tatum to Maurice Harkless's block, Jaylen Brown's dime, and Aaron Nesmith's ankle breaker, here are the top five plays from Tuesday's game between the Celtics and Kings.

Jayson Tatum Toys with Kings Defense

Jayson Tatum was toying with the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. In the play above, the All-Star wing spins around Tyrese Haliburton, has Terence Davis retreating, and then effortlessly causes him to open up his hips, giving Tatum plenty of time and space to get a clean look from beyond the arc.

Tatum finished with 36 points, six assists, four rebounds, and a plus-minus rating of +36.

Maurice Harkless Denies Al Horford at the Rim

Jaylen Brown comes off a screen from Al Horford, and it looks like the latter is going to get an easy two points at the basket; after all, the Kings' defense provided no resistance throughout the game.

But in this instance, Maurice Harkless rotates over, and with Horford not representing much of a vertical threat, Harkless sends the veteran big man's shot in the opposite direction.

Jaylen Brown Hits Robert Williams in Stride on Full-Court Dime

Al Horford tips the rebound twice, Jaylen Brown grabs it, and after one dribble, he hits Robert Williams in stride on a full-court bounce pass.

Though Williams didn't finish with one of his trademark highlight-reel jams, he proved to be just fine, grabbing 17 rebounds, a new career-high. The Timelord also had 13 points on 6/8 shooting, four assists, three steals, two blocks, and a game-high plus-minus rating of +42.

Jayson Tatum Finds Josh Richardson to Beat the Halftime Buzzer

Richaun Holmes bails on the double team of Jayson Tatum, and while you wouldn't think it's the case with this happening at half court, the Kings aren't in a position to cover for Holmes as he retreats to Robert Williams at the rim.

Tatum capitalizes on this by lofting a pass from just in front of the left side of the half-court line to Josh Richardson in the right corner for a three that beats the halftime buzzer and gives the Celtics a 63-20 lead entering the break.

Aaron Nesmith's Ankle Breaker Sends Louis King to the Floor

By sliding up the wing, Aaron Nesmith not only creates a more friendly outlet for Josh Richardson but Louis King's expecting him to be where he last looked before he focused on the ball for a bit too long.

As a result, King's off-balance when he closes out, and Nesmith quickly gets him to change direction multiple times, sending King to the floor. To make matters worse for the third-year forward, he tries to grab onto Nesmith as he's going down, hoping it will at least bring an end to the play, but the contact doesn't phase the Celtics' second-year wing, and he lays the ball in off the glass. He also made the ensuing free throw to complete the three-point play.

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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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