‘Made Big Plays’: Celtics’ Coach Praises Jayson Tatum for Clutch Performance During Win Over Wizards

The Boston Celtics have been far from their best this season. Even though the lack of competition in the Eastern Conference still ranks them as the sixth seed, they know they haven’t been up to the mark so far. One of the biggest factors for this is the recent dip in performance for Jayson Tatum.

The young star had an excellent start to the season but struggled throughout February. He shot just 39% from the field and 31% from three all month.

This is why they have a 7-9 record this month. But tonight, Tatum came up clutch to end this month with a huge win for the Celtics.

Following the game, coach Brad Stevens praised Tatum, while recognizing his struggles from previous games. He said, “I thought tonight, Jayson’s will shone through. It’s been a tough stretch for Jayson. But this matters to him. He wants to win, and he made big plays.”

Jayson Tatum: Clutch player

During their last win over the Pacers, the Celtics managed to get the victory despite Tatum scoring just nine points. He went 4-22 from the field and was abysmal all night.

But he found the perfect way to redeem himself tonight, as he hit the game-winning shot for the Celtics. It was his third go-ahead shot in the final five seconds of the game, which is the most any player has had this season.

Malcolm Brogdon has hit two of such shots, while no other player has multiple such shots. This shows how the 22-year-old is an underrated player in the clutch.

His game-winner led the Celtics to a crucial win over the Wizards, which brought them back to a .500 record. The Wizards are only 12th in the Eastern Conference standings, but they were on a brilliant run. They had won seven of their last eight games, including wins over the Lakers and the Nuggets.

The Celtics need Tatum to continue this form as they have two huge games coming up. They face the LA Clippers in their next game, followed by conference rivals, the Toronto Raptors. They have beaten them earlier in the season, but since then, they have only become stronger.

Tatum will once again be called to action on both ends as he aims to keep his offensive tempo going while limiting the likes of Kawhi Leonard and Pascal Siakam. It will be a big test for them, one they will be keen on passing.

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