HOUSTON — There’s a reason why Celtics president of basketball operations acquired Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in the offseason, to help spark the team’s sagging offense late in games, to become less predictable down the stretch with an increase in offensive options.
Yet, when the game is on the line, the ball is always in Jayson Tatum’s hands, and sometimes that’s to the detriment of himself and the team, because he is trying to do too much with these Kobe Bryant-like difficulty shots to win games at the buzzer.
Such was the case again Friday against the Denver Nuggets, when Tatum attempted a stepback against the staunch defense of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the potential tying shot hit the backboard in a painful 102-100 loss.
Tatum is unquestionably the Celtics’ best offensive player, and should be the primary option down the stretch. But he doesn’t have to take every game-winning or clutch shot, especially when he’s struggling in that category.
