Kristaps Porzingis says it’s a killer instinct. Jayson Tatum just wants to make the right play.

ORLANDO — “MVP! MVP! MVP!” The more and more acquainted chants inundated the Kia Heart as Jayson Tatum calmly sank two free throws. The Celtics’ star’s scoring whole upped to 37 factors, as he solidified a essential Sport 4 victory towards the Orlando Magic. And, within the background, chants which have adopted Tatum and the Celtics to arenas throughout the nation as soon as once more reverberated.

In a back-and-forth sport on Sunday night time, the Celtics held a 4-point lead with just below three minutes to go when Tatum hit a contested turnaround jumper over Paolo Banchero’s outstretched arm.

Kristaps Porzingis, who was crashing to the basket in hopes of securing an offensive rebound within the occasion Tatum’s shot ricocheted off the rim, momentarily mirrored on his teammate’s greatness.

“I assumed to myself: ‘This man is particular. This man is particular.”

It wasn’t something new.

Tatum is within the midst of his eighth playoff run, as he identified after the win. Sunday marked his 116th postseason sport, putting him fifteenth amongst lively NBA gamers in playoff video games performed.

And, he’s simply the seventh participant in league historical past to rack up 70 playoff wins by the age of 27.

Nonetheless, Tatum now displays a degree of poise within the clutch that’s completely different. It’s the results of numerous battles — as we speak, he’s on the opposite aspect of two Finals appearances, 5 Jap Convention Finals showings, devastating Sport 7 losses, crunch-time victories, and last-second defeats.

So, dealing with a scrappy and hungry Magic staff seeking to even the first-round collection at two wins apiece, Tatum erupted for 16 factors within the fourth quarter.

After the Magic tied issues up at 91 with 4 minutes to go, Tatum poured in 9 within the ultimate three minutes, single-handedly outscoring Orlando the remainder of the best way.

“The sport was on the road, 91-91, 4 minutes left, time-out — I used to be excited for that second, as a result of I knew that we was gonna determine it out and make performs,” Tatum mentioned.

Kristaps Porzingis has noticed Tatum’s developed killer intuition

When Porzingis arrived in Boston final fall, Tatum had but to win a championship. The then-25-year-old re-lived playoff failures of years previous as he pursued his elusive first title, continually listening to concerning the shortcomings from his 2022 Finals run.

In June, that run turned a distant reminiscence as he hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Contemporary off the chip, Tatum led the Celtics to a 61-game season this 12 months, averaging 26.8 factors, 8.7 rebounds, and a career-high 6 assists per sport. He’s the Celtics’ chief in all of these classes, and a shoo-in First Workforce All-NBA ahead.

Tatum has racked up loads of large moments within the clutch this season: a game-winner towards the Toronto Raptors, and a game-tying three to ship an April Knicks sport into extra time are only a few.

Final week, he turned one among simply 12 NBA gamers to earn votes for the Clutch Participant of the 12 months award.

Porzingis has at all times identified Tatum to be nice; when the Latvian middle first walked in by the doorways of the Auerbach Heart, Tatum was already a four-time All-Star and one of the dominant two-way gamers within the league.

Nonetheless, Porzingis maintains that he’s nonetheless seen him make strides, even since September of 2023.

“He’s developed much more of a killer intuition,” Porzingis mentioned.

When requested about Porzingis’s feedback, Tatum made clear that it’s not his personal scoring that he prioritizes — he merely desires to make the appropriate performs within the largest moments.

“I take pleasure in being in these moments,” he mentioned. “And [it’s] not essentially ‘take over a sport’ [it’s] being able to make the play. I say it on a regular basis. [That can be] for myself, or for a teammate. You simply wish to be able the place you’re concerned and you have got part of the motion.”

In final 12 months’s playoff run, Tatum’s big-time moments have been generally assists.

Some of the notable examples got here in Sport 3 of the Jap Convention Finals towards the Pacers, he threw a behind-the-back bounce go to Al Horford for an enormous three with simply over a minute to play and the Celtics trailing by 5, a go that famously spurred Jaylen Brown to say: “Cling it within the f—ing Louvre.”

Nonetheless, Porzingis maintains Tatum’s developed killer intuition is one thing that he has noticed.

“Actually, you might see his demeanor,” Porzingis mentioned. “He desires the ball towards the tip, and we belief him totally.”

Jayson Tatum persevered by a difficult begin to the playoffs

Tatum struggled offensively in Sport 1, restricted to only 17 factors on 8-22 capturing by the Magic’s stifling protection. He subsequently missed Sport 2 with what Joe Mazzulla described as a “extreme” bone bruise on his wrist, his sidelining marking his first-ever playoff absence.

Momentarily, it appeared like Tatum might even miss substantial time.

However, regardless of being listed as uncertain within the morning, Tatum discovered a solution to play by the bruise on Friday, posting 36 factors and 9 rebounds within the Celtics’ loss. After every three he made post-injury, he swung his taped-up wrist over his head, unveiling a brand new celebration concocted by Celtics rookie Baylor Scheierman.

Two days later, Tatum had his largest sport of the postseason, racking up 37 factors and 14 rebounds.

“He’s been getting us large buckets on this collection, and final 12 months’s playoffs,” Porzingis mentioned. “Within the third sport, due to him, we have been proper there. And as we speak, once more, he was phenomenal.”

In Sunday’s postgame media availability, Jaylen Brown used practically each query as a chance to credit score Tatum, mentioning all the things from his rebounding to his influence within the ultimate minutes:

“JT had it rolling.”

With simply over two minutes left, Banchero fouled Tatum on a three-point try. After an unsuccessful problem by the Magic, Tatum drained three free throws, giving the Celtics their largest lead of the sport. It was one among many big-time Tatum moments within the Sport 4 victory.

“He’s been main us,” Porzingis mentioned. “And we anticipate that from him.”

When Joe Mazzulla was requested about what he noticed from Tatum down the stretch, he didn’t hesitate: “Poise.”

That a lot was apparent to Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, too.

“You would simply inform their expertise confirmed,” Mosley mentioned. “They weren’t rattled in any respect. They have been making large performs on each side… They have been simply actually sharp.”

Jayson Tatum (quietly) leads the Celtics to a 3-1 first-round lead

It’s well-known that Jayson Tatum isn’t the loudest vocal chief.

He’s not the kind to only say, ‘Let’s go,’ Porzingis defined on Sunday.

So, his phrases carry further weight when he does deal with his colleagues.

“Each time he says one thing, it is smart, you understand?” Porzingis mentioned. “He has basketball thoughts.”

Jaylen Brown mentioned there’s a degree of belief that’s now established between him and Tatum: “We’ve seen lots. We’ve been by plenty of playoff basketball.”

By means of their seven playoff runs as a duo, six resulted in disappointment.

The only real run that didn’t? That one will reside on ceaselessly.

The Celtics will now look to change into the primary NBA staff to win consecutive championships for the reason that 2018 Warriors. It’s an uphill battle — they’re 3 wins down, with 13 wins to go, and should deal with the Magic on Tuesday to win the primary of 4 playoff collection required to repeat.

Luckily for them, Jayson Tatum would possibly simply be in his finest type but.

“I’ve been there earlier than,” he mentioned. “I’ve been in these moments.”

On Sunday, that have helped the Celtics construct a commanding 3-1 lead.