The Boston Celtics suffered a shocking 105-108 defeat to the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, with Jayson Tatum’s performance drawing criticism.
Despite scoring 23 points, Tatum shot an inefficient 30.4% from the field and 26.7% from three-point range while committing a team-high five turnovers.
Jay Williams criticize Tatum‘s shot selection
NBA analyst Jay Williams didn’t hold back in his assessment of Tatum’s game, questioning his leadership and decision-making ability in crucial moments.
“Jayson Tatum is this team’s best player, and it’s his team, and when it comes to the half court decision making, that is his responsibility,” Williams stated.
“He is an elite passer in that capacity. And I think what we saw last night, especially in the fourth quarter, was extremely poor shot selection, not just from their whole team, but especially from Jayson Tatum.”
The Celtics as a unit shot a dismal 35.1% from the field and an even worse 25% from beyond the arc, continuing their shooting struggles from Game 1.
USA Basketball DNPs adding to the pressure
Williams also referenced Tatum’s previous challenges, adding context to the mounting pressure on the Celtics star.
“There’s a lot on the line here for him this year, especially considering the way he won a championship last year. And then have multiple, not one, multiple, DNPs for USA basketball and Steve Kerr, so whatever you want to put behind that, fine, but that’s that’s what it was,” Williams explained.
Knicks’ three-point barrage exposes Celtics’ defense
In stark contrast to Boston’s offensive woes, the Knicks executed a much more effective game plan. They shot 45.9% on three-pointers with multiple players connecting from deep, resulting in 17 total threes.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst didn’t mince words about Boston’s collapse: “There’s no excuse for the Celtics to blow this game, but really no excuse for the way that they did it, basically allowing the Knicks in by just taking so many threes.”
As the series shifts venues, the Celtics must address their shooting struggles and decision-making if they hope to regain control against a confident Knicks squad.
