Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown’s play was key to Celtics Game 5 win over Cavaliers

The story of Sport 5 was Al Horford, who turned again the clock for a 22-point, 15-rebound, 5-assists, 3-block efficiency.

However the story of the collection — and this playoff run thus far — is that of the balanced, unselfish play of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, every of whom scored after they wanted to, however have been additionally glad to defer to others.

The duo’s well-rounded basketball helped clinch their fifth convention finals look as teammates.

In Cleveland, with the collection tied 1-1, Tatum scored back-to-back 33-point video games to make sure the workforce would come again to Boston with a collection lead. Brown, in the meantime, scored 28 in Sport 3 and 29 in Sport 4, each on elite effectivity.

However when others had the recent hand – whether or not Derrick White, Jrue Vacation, or in Wednesday evening’s case, Al Horford – they have been glad to defer.

Jayson Tatum stuffs the stat sheet en path to Cavs elimination

Within the series-clinching Sport 5 win, Tatum put up one in every of his best taking pictures video games of the playoffs, scoring 22 factors on 9-16 FG to go together with 10 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 steals.

Regardless of all of the hysteria round his taking pictures struggles, Tatum ended up averaging 26.8 factors on 44.1% taking pictures, 10.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists within the convention semifinals. These targeted on his taking pictures strains might be glad to see Tatum’s effectivity enhance.

However, the truth is that for this complete postseason run, he’s dominated the sport in a plethora of the way, whether or not defensively, on the glass, or along with his playmaking. Generally, he stuffed the stat sheet. Different occasions, he simply targeted on getting his teammates open with screens, passes, or just by serving as a decoy.

“Do I need to display? Do I need to deal with the ball? It’s simply easy – making the suitable reads,” Tatum stated. “I don’t come down the courtroom telling myself I’m about to shoot or I’m about to go. It’s nearly making the suitable learn based mostly on the response.”

The willingness to make that proper learn is what has enabled the Celtics to rack up 72 wins this 12 months, and lose solely 20 video games.

Behind Nikola Jokic and Josh Hart, Tatum is the third-leading rebounder of all gamers nonetheless within the postseason – averaging 9.4 per sport – and his help numbers are a playoff career-high.

“I actually form of grasp my hat – particularly playoff time – on rebounding the basketball,” Tatum stated.

All through these playoffs, critics have maintained he must be extra concerned offensively for the Celtics to succeed — and put up scoring numbers that rival these of stars like Jalen Brunson and Luka Doncic.

However Tatum has maintained that his scoring numbers do not matter to him as long as the workforce continues profitable.

“We all know how gifted we’re offensively, however every evening form of presents totally different challenges – being prepared and up for the duty to do no matter is required,” Tatum stated. “As a result of each of us are succesful on the basketball courtroom to do actually every part. Every evening might name for one thing totally different.”

Regardless of elite collection, Brown was prepared to take a backseat offensively in Sport 5

Brown, in the meantime, who has had one of the crucial environment friendly playoff collection of his profession, tried simply 9 photographs en path to an 11 factors, 7 help.

Previous to Wednesday evening, Brown was averaging 26.5 factors per sport on 61.2% taking pictures. He declared after Sport 4 that he didn’t suppose anybody on the Cavaliers may guard him.

He may have been tempted to maintain up his scoring numbers, however as a substitute, spent most of Sport 5 deferring to others. He did the little issues, logging a steal and a block and making impactful defensive performs that didn’t present up on the stat sheet.

“Jaylen solely took 9 photographs tonight, however he was, I assumed, super defensively,” Joe Mazzulla stated postgame. “He was locked in on his communication. I may hear him. He had some crashes on offensive rebounds, and when he did get the ball, he made the suitable play.”

The media and the followers most popular Jayson Tatum’s Sport 7 heroics in final 12 months’s Jap Convention Semifinals, when he put up 51 factors to eradicate the 76ers. However this Celtics workforce will not be structured in order that Tatum or Brown need to take 30 photographs an evening or rating 50 factors.

They only need to make the suitable play.

On this case, doing so has allowed them to win 8 of their first 10 playoffs video games, and clinch their spot in a 3rd straight Jap Convention Remaining.

Horford, the hero of the evening, praised Brown and Tatum for his or her willingness to place their very own numbers and touches apart for the betterment of the group.

“It doesn’t matter what will get thrown at them, issues that individuals need to speak about, criticize — our guys proceed to work,” Horford stated. “They proceed to do what’s greatest for our group. And this 12 months, that’s been very apparent. Guys try to play the suitable method. They’re sacrificing for the workforce. That’s been a theme for us all 12 months.”