The shortcomings of Jayson Tatum were laid bare once again after the Celtics broke their 11-game losing streak, and it raises some questions.
The C’s blew a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter, going down 105-104 to a Cavaliers team without Donovan Mitchell and in part Evan Mobley – who left the game in and didn’t return halfway through the third quarter.
On Boston’s final possession, Tatum got the switch on Darius Garland and instead of going early, he took a fadeaway shot and missed.
Garland was called for a foul and Tatum was almost granted free throws, until the review deemed that Tatum created contact.
With just .7 seconds left in game, it was over.
Tatum’s clutch time this season has been more than questionable. He has converted just 15 of his 46 attempts (32.6 percent), which places him last among 25 players with a minimum of 45 field goal attempts in clutch situations.
Sports analyst Colin Cowherd was less than impressed with Tatum’s final shot.
“Jayson Tatum, too often, big spots, has an advantage and settles for a spot or doesn’t have aggressiveness,” Cowherd said. “He settles for a fall away.
“That’s the shot? You think Michael Jordan settles for that? LeBron [James] settles for that? Again, I don’t doubt you’re a good team. But they literally gave you the ball to walk up the floor.”
The fourth quarter collapses aren’t isn’t just on Tatum though, since the team as a whole is 1-11 on potential game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final ten seconds of the fourth or during overtime this season.
Despite all this, Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill thinks if the franchise stays focused, they can achieve great things this upcoming postseason.
“Boston has Finals expectations and enough playoff heartbreaks to count, so this loss isn’t befitting of a serious team that treats opponents with appropriate fear,” Goodwill said. “But the Celtics still sport the league’s best defense and most explosive 3-point shooting, a fact that can’t be obscured by this bad loss.”
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