Tatum earlier than sport winner in Philadelphia: ‘it’s sport time, we’re going house’

“I stole it from Brad.”

That was head coach Joe Mazzulla after Jayson Tatum’s game-winning three-pointer that helped edge the Celtics over the 76ers 110-107, however you understand in these heist motion pictures the place you see the ending in the beginning after which they present you the way it all occurred? Let’s rewind.

With just below six seconds left, head coach Joe Mazzulla referred to as timeout and even that call deserves slightly extra context. Two minutes prior, Boston had relinquished a late 5-point lead with three straight empty possessions and a quick break layup from Tyrese Maxey gave Philly a lead. Most head coaches would have referred to as a TO after that form of meltdown — not Mazzulla.

As a substitute — in what has turn out to be a degree of competition for followers and an act of belief for the coach and his gamers — the Celtics opted to play it out and protect their two remaining timeouts. Outcome: Al Horford’s fifth 3 within the half and a two-point lead.

Quick ahead to the ultimate seconds and people two TO’s. With the sport tied with beneath eleven seconds to go and Philadelphia with a foul to present, Mazzulla burned one after a take foul on Tatum by Tobias Harris and drew up a well-recognized play that Boston has used a number of occasions this season.

Towards the Knicks earlier than the All-Star break, Tatum was used as a decoy to get Jaylen Brown the ball on the baseline. Again in November, JT bought the ball in related vogue to tie a sport in Cleveland:

“It’s a learn. You are able to do a complete bunch of stuff out of it, so it’s only a matter of studying the place the defenders are,” Mazzulla mentioned after the sport. “Good made an awesome play. JT did a superb job making separation. On performs like that, gamers should make performs and so they did.”

Within the huddle, the gamers have been simply as assured as their coach, notably Tatum. “Popping out of the timeout, I informed Grant (Williams) ‘it’s sport. it’s gametime. We’re going house,’” Tatum mentioned. “I knew it had been a tricky evening. It was good story proper? Tie sport, 5 seconds left. I hadn’t been taking pictures effectively. Come by way of for the fellows after we wanted it most.”

Tatum completed the evening with a modest 18 factors on 7-for-17 taking pictures, however none greater than the ultimate 3 to increase Boston’s win streak to a few video games. Sadly for Tatum, Williams, and the remainder of the Celtics, they’re not precisely “going house” simply but with another highway sport in New York on Monday evening earlier than heading again to TD Backyard for a three-game homestand.