Fans of the Boston Celtics have noticed that top Celtics forward Jayson Tatum appears to be playing differently this season. Tatum is proving to be a top choice in a variety of ways, from his bulked-up physique and how he uses it to truck his way to the cup to more complex alterations in his game.
The St. Louis native is no longer relying on isolated play when things get rough; instead, he’s giving the game what it needs and trusting his teammates. His performance is improving as the stretch run begins.
With Boston behind by one (104-105), Tatum had the ball in his hands for the final possession. The great forward drove right and tried a fadeaway shot over Garland. Upon landing, the Cavs guard was called for a foul.
Cleveland promptly challenged the call, which was reversed, earning Taytum an offensive foul. Following the jump ball in the middle of the court, the Celtics had no time to call a timeout after regaining the ball, so the game was finished.
“In our opinion, there was clear and conclusive evidence that Tatum’s leg extension caused that marginal contact with defender Garland, which would not have occurred otherwise. That’s why it was reversed,” said Crew Chief Zach Zarba. Cleveland.com’s post-game Pool Report to Chris Fedor.
“We believe that Tatum’s leg extension caused the marginal contact, and Garland made no illegal contact at all. That’s why it was reversed,” Zarba added, building on his reasoning from the game and the pool report.
