Ranking Jayson Tatum’s best game-winners of his Boston Celtics career
Throughout his career with the Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum has been a clutch player. In fact, he has been one of the most clutch players in the NBA during his career and he is on pace to be one of the most clutch players in NBA history. Tatum is currently the only player in NBA history to shoot at least 50% on game-tying or go-ahead shots with less than 24 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
We at the Houdini thought we would highlight Tatum’s clutch play by ranking the four best game-winners of his career.
Let’s dive into Tatum’s clutch moments.
No. 4 Best Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics game-winner: First game-winner against Knicks in 2019
The number four spot on this list goes to Tatum’s first game-winner of his career against the New York Knicks in the 2019-20 season. Tatum caught the ball on the wing from Marcus Smart and made a quick move before rising up over RJ Barrett. Tatum released the shot and it kissed through the net, leading Mike Gorman to say one of his iconic lines, “Tatum takes it…makes it!”
This shot is on this list because it’s the first one of Tatum’s career, which is special and it was the start of his breakout year. The 2019-20 season was the first season where Tatum truly showed that he was ready to be a franchise player.
No. 3 Best Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics game-winner: Opening night against Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2020
After a break following the bubble, the Celtics opened the 2020-21 season with no fans and against the Milwaukee Bucks. The season also started two days before Christmas, which allowed Tatum to give Celtics fans a nice present with a game-winner over Giannis Antetokounmpo. Tatum got Antetokounmpo in an iso and hit a tough fallaway three off the backboard with 0.4 seconds remaining.
This shot belongs on this list because it shows how Tatum always plays his best when the lights are brightest and against the best players in the world.
No. 2 Best Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics game-winner: Step back 3-pointer against the Sixers in 2023
The Celtics were in a battle against the Philadelphia 76ers and eventual MVP Joel Embiid. There were five seconds left, and Tatum knew he had to take over. He did just that, and he raced from a half-court before using a killer step back and rising up for the big game-winning three-pointer. The shot prompted Mike Breen to scream, “Bang! Jayson Tatum from downtown.” Although Embiid almost stole the spotlight with a miraculous shot, Tatum got the last laugh.
This shot belongs on this list because he outplayed the eventual MVP, and we got a classic Mike Breen call.
No. 1 Best Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics game-winner: Layup against the Nets in 2022 playoffs
Every NBA Finals run has a play that fans look back on and say sparked a Finals run. For the Celtics in 2022, it happened in Game 1 of the first round against the Brooklyn Nets. Tatum stole the show with a layup that capped off a wild sequence that saw Marcus Smart find him for the win.
This game-winner belongs on the top spot of this list because it led to a sweep of Kyrie Irving and the Nets, and it led to a Finals run.
Let’s hope that Tatum provides many more game-winners this season.