Jayson Tatum's legend in Beantown continues to grow. Still just 24, Tatum has already given Boston Celtics fans plenty of good memories, perhaps none better than the game-winning layup he hit at the buzzer in Game 1 of their first-round series matchup against Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
TD Garden's roof nearly blew off after the incredibly wild and loud reaction from Celtics fans, who all went home with huge smiles on their faces. It's not always that a team goes on to draw first blood in a playoff series on a game-winner.
Tatum, meanwhile, summed up his feelings after the game for the support and cheers from Celtics fans.
Via Jack Simone of Celticsblog.com:
It was crazy. Everybody was on their feet. We just got a big stop. It doesn’t get any better than that. A buzzer-beater in a playoff game at home in front of our fans. That’s probably the loudest I’ve heard it.
It can't really get any better than that. According to Basketball-Reference (h/t ESPN Stats & Info), it was just the first time ever in Celtics history that a Boston player hit a game-winner at the buzzer in a Sunday playoff game at home.
According to Basketball-Reference, Jayson Tatum's game-winning buzzer-beater on Sunday was the first by a Celtics player in a home playoff game in franchise history.
Tatum is hardly the only hero in that game for the Celtics, however. Also stepping up were Al Horford and Marcus Smart, who was responsible for getting Tatum that massive shot that would go down in Boston sports history as among the most memorable ever. Horford scored 20 points on 8/13 shooting while also pulling down a total of 15 rebounds. Smart provided 20 points as well with seven rebounds and six assists. Tatum finished the game with 31 points on 9/18 shooting across 45 minutes of action in Game 1.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday.
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