Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum has that clutch gene in his veins
Boston Celtics emerging superstar Jayson Tatum is quickly earning the nickname Mr. Clutch.
The Boston Celtics have not exactly exploded out of the gates to start the 2020-21 NBA season, but one thing has become clear through the first seven games of the young season and that is Jayson Tatum is the man.
In the team’s 122-120 victory over the Detroit Pistons late Sunday afternoon, it was Tatum coming through again with the game on the line.
Tied at 120 apiece in the final seconds, the Celtics turned to their big-money man for the final shot. Take a look below how Tatum came through with Blake Griffin guarding him:
https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1345863183131680771
That is two game winners in the team’s four victories this season showing that Jayson Tatum has that clutch gene pumping through his veins. In all, Tatum finished the game with 24 points on 10-of-22 shooting. Not only was he involved in helping his team come through in the clutch, but he also atoned for not coming through in the previous loss to the Pistons.
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A sign of a true superstar in the making, his individual play doesn’t mean a thing if his team is not winning ball games.
"“Last game, I didn’t do a good job of hitting shots when we needed to close the game out. And that’s something I definitely want to be known for,” Tatum said following the game, as transcribed by NBC Sports Boston. “I want to be a guy that is known for hitting big shots in those clutch situations.”"
He is certainly becoming known as that early in his career and if he is to establish himself as a Celtics legend when all is said and done, there will be plenty of opportunities for him to be the man.
In highlighting the three challenges facing Jayson Tatum entering this season, the ability to help his team win in different ways were one of those challenges. Sunday night against the Detroit Pistons was a prime example of that.
Not only did Tatum score the game-winner, but he also added eight rebounds and two blocks, both blocks coming in the final 30 seconds which shows how valuable of a two-way player he has become.
With Jaylen Brown leading the team in scoring with 31 points, Tatum didn’t have to do everything on the offensive side of the court. Having other players around him who can score is allowing him to excel in different areas.
Next. Boston Celtics 2020 retrospective: The year of Jayson Tatum. dark
In summary, Tatum’s All-NBA status is showcasing a player who is just beginning to grow in how he impacts the game offensively and defensively when the game is on the line. Most importantly for the Boston Celtics, their young star is not afraid of taking the big shot as that clutch gene is running through his veins.
That is the true sign of a superstar on the rise.