Why the Celtics' clutch Game 1 win was so rare
Yahoo Sports NBA contributor Tom Haberstroh takes a look at his latest ‘Big Number’ after Boston held off Indiana in the opening game of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Video Transcript
I'm Tom Haberstroh.
And you're watching the big number.
Today's big number is one that's the number of clutch minutes that the Boston Celtics had played in the playoffs heading into Tuesday's game one against the Indiana Pacers.
Yes, one measly minute of intense crunch time action game four in Cleveland when the game was within five in the final five minutes.
This entire Boston postseason among the 16 teams this postseason, the Celtics had endured the second fewest clutch minutes only the Miami Heat, its first round opponent had fewer like zero after game one's rocky nail bitter Jalen Brown said the key in overtime was quote, JT as in Jason Tatum finally woke up, made some baskets end quote and you know what, I get it, I can excuse JT for falling asleep in clutch play because Boston's medal was barely tested this postseason with nine of its 10 games being decided by double digits.
Brown rescued the Celtics with a clutch three and then Tatum carried them the rest of the way.
You know, it's totally understandable that JT had to hit this news button been there.
The important thing is that he finally got his bearings overcoming that tiny clutch total of one.
I'm Tom Haverstraw.
That's the big number.