Five-time All-Star forward Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics is a fantastic player. Nevertheless, Tatum’s light is obscured by a sizable celestial body during those high-stress situations when stars are meant to shine, allowing rivals and teammates to pass him.

Jayson Tatum Addresses Clutch Issues

With the game on the line on Thursday, Tatum experienced chills once more. On Monday, March 25, the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Boston Celtics, capping the biggest comeback in team history. In their subsequent meeting, the Hawks were able to maintain a competitive game throughout, which resulted in another intensely contested fourth quarter.

After five and a half minutes, the Celtics led 102-101 points. After more back-and-forth, Tatum put the Hawks ahead 108-106 and appeared to be about to break them with a stepback three. Hawks shooting specialist Bogdan Bogdanovic tied the score at 112-112 with a stepback three of his own in the 71st second.

Tatum stumbled and missed a driving layup while Vit Krejci, a two-way signee of the Hawks, was covering him. He overlooked the hint. With 1:59 left in the quarter, he managed to make the putback at last, but it was his final attempt. Tatum then failed to dish over Hawks hero Dejounte Murray with another gimme’ around the basket. His game-winning three-pointer against a Hawks double-team was a poor play.

In overtime, Tatum would convert his only field attempt, driving for an and-one against Murray. However, Murray outscored the Celtics 11-10 by himself, and Atlanta escaped with their second win over the best team in the NBA.

Tatum states, “I was trying to get a clean look,” when describing his mental process during his erroneous game-winning effort (per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe).

“Hold it till the final shot to ensure they did not receive the ball (back). When you lose, more often than not, you can always look back and see something you could have done differently.”

“I know I missed a couple this year,” he admits, addressing his overall clutch play after going 3-6 in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime. He is aware of his lackluster efforts in the closing moments, yet he doesn’t seem to have lost confidence. Tatum remarks, “I [have to] be due for one.”

When there is a five-point difference at the end of either half, Tatum leads the Celtics with 83 points. But in those circumstances, he’s only shooting 36.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent. The only players with lower field percentages are Luke Kornet, Sam Hauser, Jaden Springer, and Payton Pritchard, who together shoot 2–8 from the field.

In the last 10 seconds of the fourth quarter, Tatum is 2-9 from the field.

Counts Tatum’s final-quarter decision-making needs to get better, since it is unworthy of a player of his caliber. If not, it’s unlikely that he or the Celtics will realize their greatest potential.