Kevin Durant: Celtics Have Right Team Around Jayson Tatum Now
NEW YORK – Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant skilled collectively on the peak of Jaylen Brown Trade rumors in July. An notorious picture by Celtics photographer Brad Hampton displaying them side-by-side captured the creativeness of some followers and sparked fears in others. Tatum questioned the criticism and requested why he did not need to enhance by taking part in in opposition to an amazing participant.
The celebrity forwards confronted off for the primary time since these Sunday exercises, a 103-92 victory for the Celtics that noticed each attempt to discover disagreements and throw the opposite’s covers. They hit one another with laborious fadeaway jumpers that mirrored one another. While Durant confronted numerous nice defenders who might stand in entrance of him and pressure the go, Tatum performed off-ball to seek out discrepancies within the circulate of offense away from his guards.
Both gamers turned the ball over eight instances, however Tatum delayed Brown’s clear play as they mixed for 63 factors. The Celtics overcame Tatum’s struggles earlier than turning late defensive stops into offense in opposition to Durant.
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“[Tatum]has always been a mature player,” Durant stated CLNS media when he left the sport. “I just think you’re putting the pieces around him now to emphasize what he’s actually doing and complement what he’s actually doing and that’s always good for a player, great for a player. He’s taken a leadership role and is building his confidence every year and I think now you have the team around you to help him improve his game.”
Tatum praised his Team USA teammate from the rostrum shortly after, noting that they’ve chatted frequently since profitable a gold medal collectively.
“[Durant]is someone I became very close with,” Tatum stated. “Obviously I’ve been up against a lot in the playoffs recently. Known since I was in high school, won a gold medal with, practiced a lot this summer. So someone I respect a lot, you know. We talk often. And you always enjoy these matchups. Someone who has played at a high level for so long, at the highest level. Bring out the best in you. So you always enjoy these encounters with one of the best players that have ever played.”
Durant and Kyrie Irving pushed the nets into an 11:2 lead with two baskets every and tried to increase their success Jacques Vaughn on a five-game profitable streak. Joe Mazzulla did not request a timeout, and the Celtics responded with a 14-0 flip initiated by fringe stops from Irving and Durant.
They changed into a inexperienced three from Brown and one other from Tatum after his protection in opposition to Durant. Brown took offense and hit 5 threes to surpass Tatum’s team-high 4 and Al Horford adjusted to 1 / 4 this season.
Durant tried to assault Malcolm Brogdon and Camera Thomas drove on Sam Hauser at Vaughn’s urging, however each missed out on the margins. Boston obtained a fortune when Nick Claxton dropped a two-for-one go from Durant.
Durant missed his personal layup whereas driving previous the rim Grant Williams. He ended the quarter with an assault on Hauser and Payton Pritchard. Grant doubled on the primary sport, leading to a Thomas three in rotation.
Durant discovered Claxton’s again door when Grant tried to assist Pritchard once more, and Durant drove in on a layup late within the first quarter to assault Hauser. The Celtics wished to rotate on the weak facet, Mazzulla stated.
“It’s a team effort,” stated Brogdon CLNS. “We hit, caught and double-teamed a lot when Kyrie and KD had their backs to them and I thought we flipped them enough to really bother them.”
Horford stopped Durant halfway by way of the second quarter and his missed jumper fell in TJ Warrens Hands for a put again as the sport tightened. Meanwhile, the Celtics turned their consideration to attacking mismatches on the different finish after Tatum ran right into a 1-for-6 gap and a 6-for-24 drought that stretched again to Friday’s loss to Miami.
Some screening misdirection stripped Tatum of Irving and Claxton for an open three, which he missed.
He then noticed one fall on a shot pretend in opposition to Durant’s closeout to kick right into a mid-ranger. Played with out the ball once more.
Tatum hit a leaner over Durant to offer the Celtics a 55-48 lead, Durant answered the opposite method over Tatum who caught afterwards Seth Curry switched to him, turned the submit and hit the netkeeper along with his fourth foul in three minutes.
Tatum later took a rim throw from Grant again to the perimeter to drive previous Thomas and the Celtics escaped a hard-fought first half by a 12-point lead.
The identical mismatch hunt that curry and landed JoeHarris He intermittently injured the Celtics within the second half, however when Tatum attacked on the transfer, he simply scored on his technique to a 29-point evening during which he shot 10-19.
Both groups struggled to safe a 19-13 Nets win within the third quarter. Durant made three straight baskets early on after which attacked Derrick White till the shot clock expires. Boston went scoreless for six straight possessions, ending with Grant Durant stealing the ball and sending Tatum for a free layup.
Brogdon took possession late within the quarter and handed to Brown to cost O’Neale downhill and was fouled, leading to a technical internet. Grant stole the ball from Durant once more, and Brogdon scored from Harris’ fourth foul to place one other Brooklyn shooter out of the sport.
Boston’s greatest defensive evening of the 12 months got here from particular person efforts like Brown’s 4 blocks in opposition to isolation offenses and anticipation. Pritchard and Grant pre-traded an in-bounds sport to Irving, Pritchard took Claxton and Grant guarded Curry for Brown to ultimately cowl for Irving. The former Celtics star shot 7-for-21.
Mazzulla stood on the other touchline, waving motion and distance as he typically did, and expressed after the sport that he wished he might have intervened extra to drag the Celtics out of offensive stagnation. Tatum rolled previous Durant to the rim after trying to find White as Brooklyn pulled again to 6 within the fourth.
“I think it’s ball movement,” Brogdon stated. “I believe JT and JB are getting a lot consideration so I believe it is as much as the remainder of us to essentially go away the ball, reduce the display screen and actually create havoc on the ball so these guys can hold taking part in. “
He shielded Durant minutes later and rolled previous O’Neale for 2 extra whereas Brown had six late factors to go for 34.
Brogdon completed the sport with eight assists, Brown, White and Horford added two every, and Tatum performed a remaining sport to assault mismatches and beat Durant regardless of 9 turnovers. Durant carried extra weight.
“Robert Williams hasn’t been there all year and they’re 19-5,” Durant stated after the sport. “With Marcus Smart in and out of the lineup, they still have Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon bringing it, two guys who can do pretty much the same thing as him. They have a deep team.”
“They simply performed on time. The offensive facet of the ball, they’ve a number of area on the market, you play 5 gamers, they will drive simply and get the colour. Playing in opposition to a group like that, regardless of how laborious they struggled, 13 factors within the third quarter for them and it all the time appears like you might be within the sport capturing the three like that and having area like that. You can get drives to the sting, you will get fouled, a few of your performs work higher when you could have that area and capturing.”
