Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has played in 95 postseason game over the course of his career. However, he had never recorded a triple-double in the playoffs until Sunday afternoon, when his Celtics took down the Miami Heat 114-94 in Game 1 of their first-round matchup.
During the double-digit victory, Tatum notched 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in 41 minutes of play. Five other Celtics – Kristaps Porzingis, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, and Al Horford – also scored in double figures.
When asked about his career first, Tatum said that it came down to finding the right guys at the right time:
“It was real simple,” Tatum remarked. “Just making the right play. We talk all the time about not getting bored making the right play. Find the mismatch … and surround yourself with shooters … [The Heat] aren't a team that's gonna let you play one-on-one all night. They do a really good job of being in help and showing a crowd. They just kind of force you to make the right play.”
The Heat sent plenty of double teams Tatum's way to try and generate turnovers. Yet, he was able to find the open man more often than not and break down their disruptive defense. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla commended Tatum's performance and his ability to methodically dissect the Heat's gameplan.
“His mindset approach was great. I thought he played with great patience,” Mazzulla said. “Chose his spots very well and I thought he took what the defense gave him. And he found a balance in creating for himself and for others. So, fighting for that discipline on the offensive end, and on both ends of the floor really, is a huge key to the series.”
Porzingis was on the receiving end of two Tatum assists in the first quarter, which saw Boston quickly jump out to a 14-0 lead. The Latvian big man gave his teammate plenty of props for helping the Celtics set the tone in the first quarter.
“That was a beautiful game for him. Getting those assists, especially early on, he was not forcing anything too much,” Porzingis said. “I think it's a huge credit to him, to this game, and how we all played as a team because he got everybody feeling good early on … overall I think that was a beautiful performance.”
Jayson Tatum time
Although Tatum and company held a 34-point lead in the second half, the Heat were not giving up. Miami made it a 15-point contest with 3:57 remaining in the fourth quarter following a Delon Wright triple.
The Celtics answered right back, as Tatum dished it to Derrick White beyond the arc. That led to a smooth 3-pointer with 3:36 left in the final frame that pushed Boston's lead back to 18. At that point, the Heat didn't have enough time for another late push.
In most games, a double-digit advantage with under two minutes to go would just about wrap things up.
That wasn't the case in Game 1 though. With 59 seconds on the clock, Heat forward Caleb Martin upended Tatum while going for a rebound.
Tempers began to flare, yet Tatum went about his business and sunk the two free throws that followed the crazy collision.
Late-game scuffles aside, the C's now hold a 1-0 advantage over the Heat. They'll have a good amount of time to prepare for the next showdown at TD Garden too, since Game 2 is on Wednesday night at 7 P.M. ET.
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