Not only did he hit the ice-cold game-winner leaving 0.2 measly seconds on the clock, but moments before he knew exactly what was going to happen.
At the end of the first quarter, the Boston Celtics found themselves in a spot they have not spent much time dealing with this season: losing.
Down 31-34 to a 12-win New Orleans Pelicans team, Boston had to turn it. Trey Murphy III of New Orleans on the other hand had no intention of letting the Celtics to this.
Murphy finished with 40 points on 15-20 shooting.
Boston had no intentions of losing on the road to the Pelicans and the starters certainly displayed that. Jaylen Brown finished with a team-high 28 points adding four assists and six rebounds.
Kristaps Porzingis added 16 points and six assists and dominated the defensive side of the ball with four blocks and three steals.
Of course, there was the inevitable, Jayson Tatum scoring 27 points, dishing 10 assists, and the aforementioned game-winner. Despite five turnovers and a 10-21 shooting night, Tatum spoke after the game about his intuition in the game’s final moments.
“I was looking at their coach. I was looking at Javonte,” Tatum said. “I was trying to see if he was going to tell them to hit, get the ball out of my hand. I thought he did. He hesitated. He stayed with Jrue. I turned my back, spin move, and I got to my spot.”
Tatum perfectly executed the play just as he recounted postgame and the Celtics moved to 34-15 on the year, still at the No. 2 spot in the Eastern Conference.
It is worth mentioning that the already injury-depleted Pelicans suffered another massive blow about eight minutes into the game. Dejounte Murray suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon tear.
Boston looks forward to their next matchup Sunday afternoon against a struggling Philadelphia 76ers squad. it will be the second of their three-game road trip.
Tatum improves his 26.7 points per game average which is good for sixth in the league while averaging 8.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists per contest.