99 times out of 100, I want Jayson Tatum to attempt the game-winning shot. The one occasion I didn’t want him to was last night.
I’m not using hindsight here, or anything like that. Throughout the past few seasons, it has been on my mind. One of the top players in the game, Jayson Tatum, ought to be mentioned when discussing MVP. Giving the ball to your top player and waiting for them to make an impact is standard procedure when things get tight. This team, though, differs from most teams. Five of the outstanding players on this team have received votes for All-Star honors at some time in their careers.
Having said that, Tatum does not have to shoot the game winning shot each time throughout the regular season.
Cleveland surprised the Celtics last night by coming back in the fourth quarter against the undermanned Cavaliers. Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis made clutch plays late in the game to keep the Celtics in the contest despite Dean Wade’s strong fourth-quarter push.
Boston’s final seven points of the game were all assisted by Porzingis. His forceful post-move over Georges Niang was the first. Then, as we’ve seen him do all season, KP demonstrated his willingness to dish to Jrue Holiday on a back cut.
Porzingis got to the hoop with less than a minute remaining, made his free throw, and finished plus the foul to give Boston a one-point edge.
Tatum had only attempted one shot in the final four minutes of the game, a fadeaway in the paint that struck the front rim, before the final shot of the game.
After a scorching first half, Tatum was 1/12 in the second half and 1/9 in the fourth. Jaylen Brown did not try a shot in the last quarter, and Porzingis finished the fourth quarter with a 2/4 record.
Although teams shouldn’t always follow the player who has been shooting the best in the past quarter to determine who gets the final shot, it might occasionally be wiser to follow the hot hand, particularly if that person is a high-caliber player.
Donovan Mitchell would have defeated Dean Wade in the final seconds if he had played last night. Wade is respected, but it’s not the same as moving from Wade to Mitchell or from Tatum to Porzingis.
NBA players are the finest in the world at what they do, so it is only fair that they feel secure in their skills. Nevertheless, there are moments when I would want the ball to find someone who is hot or having a great quarter, particularly in a “meaningless” regular season game. Even if he doesn’t make the game-winning shot, Porzingis was the one keeping us in the game in the closing minutes, thus it would be pointless to not have him in the offensive attack.
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