During the Boston Celtics May 11 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, Jayson Tatum had a shooting night to forget.
In the first three-quarters of play, Tatum was 1-of-13 from the field and had four points to his name. However, in the final quarter of play, the All-NBA forward exploded back to life, registering 16 points to ensure the Celtics won the game and forced a win-or-go-home game seven.
Following Boston’s huge win, Tatum discussed the frustrations that come with struggling to impact the game on the scoreboard.
“Being transparent, that s*** frustrating.”
Jayson Tatum talks about his tough shooting night, and how his teammates pulled him out of it
“I gotta give a lot of credit to my teammates,” Tatum said. “They were extremely vocal throughout the game. Encouraging. Being transparent, that s— is frustrating. You wanna win so bad. You wanna play so well. And shot’s not falling, things not necessarily going your way. And you want it so bad. Try and stay present. Try and stay in the moment. Try and do other things. And every time out, every huddle, my teammates told me the next one going in. Keep rebounding. Keep getting assists. Keep getting blocks. Keep impacting the game; it’s gonna come, it’s gonna come…Really all it took was one.”
Fortunately for the Celtics, Tatum’s fourth-quarter heroics was exactly what the team needed to put them over the top down the stretch and allow them to win a game that looked like it was slipping away after halftime.
Joe Mazzulla Praises Jayson Tatum’s Impact
When addressing the media as part of his post-game press conference, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla detailed how Tatum’s impact on a game goes beyond what he does in the scoring column.
“The standard that is set for him to where if he’s not scoring, he’s not playing good basketball is wrong.”
Joe Mazzulla on Jayson Tatum impacting the Celtics winning on a tough shooting night
“His poise got him going,” Mazzulla said. “So, the standard that is set for him, to where if he’s not scoring, he’s not playing good basketball, is wrong. He’s had multiple games this series, and when he’s at his best, he doesn’t need to score. I thought his communication with his teammates, I thought his defensive intensity, and even his force when driving the ball kept him in the game. He plays with a level of poise, regardless of how the game is going.”
Boston’s May 11 contest against the Sixers wasn’t the first time that Tatum has struggled shooting the ball in this series, yet he has continually found other ways to impact the game on both ends of the floor. Still, the Celtics will be hoping that he can shake off his cold starts ahead of the team’s upcoming game seven contest.
Robert Williams Reveals Message to Jayson Tatum
When speaking to NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin as part of an exclusive post-game interview, Robert Williams revealed how he and Malcolm Brogdon looked to keep Tatum in high spirits throughout his shooting slump.
“Me and Malcolm went up to him and told him, ‘you’re playing the game the right way.'”
Rob Williams on JT
“I feel like he deserved it,” Williams said. “He was playing the game the right way the whole time. Me and Malcolm went up to him and told him, ‘You’re making the right plays. You’re playing for your teammates. The game will reward you.’”
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Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Sounds Off on Tough Shooting Night Against Sixers