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Jayson Tatum admits he didn’t look as Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid heaved a shot from three-quarters court at the buzzer of Saturday’s game.
Tatum had just hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter that gave the Boston Celtics a 110-107 lead when Embiid took the inbound and hoisted up a shot that connected — but left his hand just after the buzzer sounded.
Tatum said after the February 25 game that he was looking away when Embiid hoisted up the almost-miracle shot.
“S**t, I turned around,” Tatum said after the game.
But the Celtics star said thought the shot came out after the buzzer.
“I kind of had a feeling it wasn’t going to count,” Tatum said, via The Associated Press. “But it’s the NBA, right? Anything can happen.”
Embiid seemed to know immediately that the shot didn’t count, as he slumped down and shook his head no. Officials reviewed the shot but confirmed that it came after the buzzer.
Embiid shared his disappointment after the game.
“Unfortunately, story of my life,” Embiid said, via The Associated Press.
Sixers Fall Short in Battle of Eastern Conference Powerhouses
Saturday’s game was a chance for the Sixers to make up for their poor showing in a 106-99 loss to the Celtics earlier in the month, and Embiid turned in one of his best performances of the season. He finished with 41 points and 12 rebounds, though missed the chance to send the game to overtime by a fraction of a second.
As Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia noted, Embiid found another gear after the Sixers went down 95-87 with just over seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
“Still, the Sixers seemingly have a chance whenever Embiid’s out there,” he noted. “He made three mid-range jumpers and six free throws over the next several minutes. That brought the Sixers to within a point of Boston, and they took an improbable lead when Embiid blocked a Brown layup attempt and Maxey then jetted the other direction for a lay-in.”
Embiid tied the game with a pair of free throws with 10.1 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, but Tatum hit a 3-pointer on the next possession to give the Celtics the win.
With the loss, the Celtics fell four games behind the Celtics for first overall in the Eastern Conference. Though the Sixers have won seven out of their last 10 games, it has not been enough to keep pace with the Celtics, who won eight of their last 10, and the Milwaukee Bucks, the winners of 13 straight games.
Embiid’s Shot Draws Viral Reactions
Video of Embiid’s near buzzer-beater quickly went viral, with many sharing their appreciation for the shot that didn’t count.
“Embiid with the greatest shot that didn’t count,” tweeted Barstool Sports commentator Dan “Big Cat” Katz.