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Boston Celtics superstar forward Jayson Tatum had a chance to win Thursday's road matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. However, with the game tied 112-112, he missed a fall-away 3-pointer at the buzzer. After Boston lost 123-122 in overtime, the five-time All-Star faced harsh backlash from fans for his lack of clutchness.
The Celtics entered Thursday looking to redeem themselves after blowing a 30-point lead during Monday's 120-118 road loss to Atlanta. They got out to an early eight-point lead, but the contest remained within single digits throughout the night.
In the fourth quarter, Hawks shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic nailed a game-tying 3 with 26.7 seconds remaining. That set the stage for Tatum's unsuccessful game-winning 3-point attempt.
In OT, Hawks star guard Dejounte Murray took over, scoring all 11 of Atlanta's points. That included hitting a go-ahead midrange jumper with 0.1 seconds remaining. The shot proved to be the game-winner, as the Celtics missed a lob attempt on the other end.
Murray finished with a game-high and career-high 44 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals and six 3s on 40.9% shooting.
Meanwhile, despite missing the game-winner, Tatum led Boston with 31 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two 3s on 40.9% shooting.
One of the primary criticisms surrounding Tatum this season has been his tendency to come up short in big moments. Meanwhile, despite having the NBA's top record (57-16), the Celtics have been critiqued for choking leads when they face adversity.
During Boston's 105-104 road loss to the Cleveland Cavalier on March 5, Tatum missed a game-winner after Boston blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead.
So, following the 26-year-old's latest letdown, fans on X/Twitter let him hear about it.
"Jayson Tatum in playoff form. Sigh," one fan said.
Here are a few more of the top fan reactions to Tatum's missed game-winner against the Hawks:
Jayson Tatum on clutch shortcomings this season
Following Thursday's loss to Atlanta, Jayson Tatum was asked about his struggles in late-game scenarios this season. He highlighted how he hasn't lost confidence in his ability to hit clutch shots due to his career track record.
"I know I've missed a couple this year, so I was like, 'Damn, I gotta be due for one,'" Tatum said. "I've hit a bunch of 'em in my career so far. But it's a part of it. [It's] a make-or-miss league, and I really do enjoy being in those situations."
Tatum was also asked what Boston could take away from back-to-back tough losses to an inferior Hawks (34-39) team. He touched on the importance of not taking success in the NBA for granted.
"Winning is hard," Tatum said. "We've been fortunate to do a lot of being on the other side. It's just a good reminder [that] you can never take those for granted."
Tatum and the Celtics (57-16) will look to snap their two-game losing streak when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans (45-28) on Saturday.
Also Read: "Investigate him" - Fans torch Jayson Tatum for his comments on NBA betting situation
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