Key Moment
The Celtics not only threw a haymaker at the start of Monday’s fourth quarter in Memphis - they landed one.
Boston opened up the fourth quarter with a 16-5 run that snatched every ounce of momentum out of its hosts’ hands. That run propelled the Celtics to a 100-90 lead with 5:28 remaining in the game, which was just enough cushion to hold on for the victory.
This run came at a critical juncture of the game, as Memphis had just rattled off a 10-0 run of its own to close out the third quarter with an 85-84 lead. The C’s needed to erase that momentum, and they did so in a hurry.
Jaylen Brown jumpstarted the game-changing run with a driving layup off a dish from Malcolm Brogdon. Brown then scored the next two points from the free-throw line, before Sam Hauser added in two of his own 12 seconds later following a clear-path foul. Hauser’s freebies pushed Boston ahead 90-88. Jayson Tatum (five points), Marcus Smart (three points) and Brown (two points) combined to score the final 10 points of the run.
Tatum’s double-crossover, driving floater at the 5:28 mark may have been the highlight of the spurt. The Celtics spread the floor on that possession and allowed Tatum to go one-on-one with Santi Aldama. Tatum wound up cooking him like a Thanksgiving turkey.
Boston’s superstar wing hit Aldama with a double-crossover, first from right to left, then from left to right, at the top of the 3-point arc to create space to drive down the right side of the lane. Tatum then hit the breaks midway down the paint and Eurostepped to his left as Aldama flew past him, which allowed Tatum to fire up and drop in a soft floater from about seven feet out.
Tatum’s floater capped Boston’s 16-5 run, but Memphis didn’t go away quietly. The Grizzlies battled back to make it a one-possession game during the final 20 seconds. Thankfully, Boston received two clutch free throws from Grant Williams and then two more from Tatum to close out the 109-106 victory.
Key Player
The free-throw line is thrusting Jayson Tatum into a whole other stratosphere. You thought he was a superstar last season? He’s a super-duperstar this season.
Tatum is now averaging 8.9 free throw attempts per game following another 16 attempts Monday night. This effort arrived three nights after Tatum set a new career high with 20 attempts against the Chicago Bulls.
Monday night in Memphis, Tatum drained 12 of his 16 attempts from the charity stripe, which fueled his 39-point effort. He canned 12 of his 25 shots from the field while not at the free-throw line.
To close out his box score, Tatum contributed four rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.
Box Score Nuggets
- Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 39 points, which featured a 12-for-16 effort from the free-throw line.
- Tatum's 12 makes and 16 attempts were both more than Memphis' team totals (9-for-14).
- Ja Morant led Memphis with 30 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.
- Marcus Smart delivered his second straight double-double with 15 points and a game-high 12 assists.
- Al Horford scored a season-high 15 points.
- Both teams grabbed 45 rebounds.
- Tatum finished with a game-best plus-15 in the plus/minus rating.
- Jaylen Brown scored 21 points for Boston.
- John Koncher scored 12 points off of Memphis' bench.
- Grant Williams scored only two points, but they may have been the most important two points of the game - two free throws with 15.7 seconds left.
Quote of the Night
"I had a heckler on their sideline, kinda goin crazy, and it kinda gave me a little more motivation to just come out here and play the best basketball that I can."
- Marcus Smart on what motivated him at the start of Monday's game, when he scored or assisted on Boston's first 16 points of the night