The ultimate phrases surrounding Boston’s nail-biting additional time win over the Toronto Raptors will inevitably be saved for the game-winning shot that launched off of Jayson Tatum’s palms as time expired. In spite of everything, it saved the Celtics from a house defeat to a lowly Raptors staff nonetheless trying to find their first highway win of the season.
These phrases could even function the moments earlier than that closing shot, when Raptors guard Davion Mitchell did his finest Matthew Knies impression by backchecking Jaylen Brown out of his motion, an transfer that went uncalled and left Tatum to ship the ultimate blow all on his personal.
Maybe misplaced within the fray of that chaotic closing sequence was Brown’s unimaginable clutch time efficiency, which helped raise the Celtics previous a scrappy convention bottom-dweller.
In clutch minutes, which incorporates additional time, Brown completed with 6 factors on 2-of-3 capturing, one main help to Neemias Queta within the closing minute of regulation, and a block on RJ Barrett that stored the sport tied.
In these minutes over the course of this season, Brown has completed effectively to raise his sport, posting capturing splits of 60/80/37 in 5 video games to go along with a +2.6 on/off differential. In comparison with the bigger pattern of final 12 months’s common season, it’s a pleasant begin. Brown shot splits of fifty/20/68 in 29 video games that noticed clutch time final 12 months, with a still-positive +1.6 and a 17-12 file.
His efficiency in opposition to Toronto was his best hour; nevertheless, beginning together with his last-minute feed to Queta to tie the sport with 42.5 seconds left within the fourth quarter.
On this play, a zoom motion will get Brown working off a handoff with a rolling Queta, with Brown’s main defender Mitchell a step behind after taking contact on Derrick White’s display screen. It permits Brown to arrange store, pulling out a crossover that commentator Mark Jones as soon as mentioned was “so deep in his bag just like the fries are on the backside.” Jakob Poeltl merely has to contest a Brown drive on this scenario, and JB preys on it, dropping off to Queta for a neater bucket to tie up the sport.
On the very subsequent possession, proper out of a timeout, Brown added to his All-Defensive Group case.
The Raptors correctly cleared out of the paint for this possession, stretching the Celtics out to the perimeter to permit Barrett the area to select up a head of steam on to the cup. With Queta enjoying on the degree on Poeltl’s again display screen, Brown funnels the play to the correct facet, enjoying from behind and timing his contest completely in a approach that’d make Derrick White proud.
On the opening possession of additional time, it’s Brown’s capturing that will get issues rolling. A double-screen once more ends with Mitchell discombobulated because of stable work from Luke Kornet. Brown has area to fireside off a stepback, and proper from the bounce, the Celtics are forward.
Afterward, there was Brown’s enormous go-ahead three with 1:09 remaining. On this sequence, a variety of the credit score goes to Jayson Tatum. It’s a traditional Celtics possession because of Tatum’s means to work his approach right into a tightly-guarded paint, opening up the ground with an acrobatic kickout to Al Horford, which leaves the additional go over to Brown within the nook.
It could not have been Pascal Siakam-level protection like we noticed within the convention finals, however it was nonetheless a hand in his face from a gifted perimeter defender in Ochai Agbaji. Not an issue for Brown, who confidently sinks the shot to provide his staff a 2-point lead getting into the ultimate minute of play.
On an evening the place the Celtics struggled to hit open appears, gave up 76 factors within the paint, and allowed profession highlights for Barrett (first profession triple-double) and Poeltl (career-high 33 factors), it wouldn’t have been a whole shock to see the Celtics fall quick in a clutch sport for the fourth time this season. The celebrities shined brightest on the finish although, with Tatum delivering a brand new shot to his profession spotlight reel and Brown making an affect in all phases of the sport to push the Celtics to an 11-3 file.
