The Boston Celtics are the most clutch team in the league and they have multiple options to go to
One question people love to ask about s team is who is going to take the last shot in a pressure situation. With the Boston Celtics, Kyrie Irving is an easy choice because of his immense offensive talent and ability to create a shot.
That being said, the Celtics are in a unique position because even though they have that definitive option, that is not their mindset. The Celtics are not thinking about clearing out and putting Irving in a difficult situation.
Brad Stevens has a stellar record with out of timeout plays. Nobody gets players running wide open like Stevens, but that person is often not going to be Irving. Irving is certainly their best clutch option, but Stevens knows how much more difficult it is for Irving to get a good shot than anyone else.
The Celtics have proven that they have all kinds of options that’s Stevens can run that last second play for. Marcus Morris has done it multiple times recently against the Thunder and Blazers, Jaylen Brown just punished the Jazz, Terry Rozier had the steal and dunk against the Pacers and Jayson Tatum is as reliable as anyone. Even Al Horford has a track record of hitting those clutch shots.
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For the Celtics, when thinking about taking that last shot, they are making sure anyone of these options get the best possible look. Irving is the priority, but that is also the case for the defense. The space created by Irving always opens things up, and Stevens can have the confidence that these other players will be able to hit the open shot, rather than getting Irving a contested shot.
The Celtics always do things as a unit, and that is still the case for the last shot. The Celtics have players they can trust, and none of them are scared of taking that shot. Everyone is prepared to have that play drawn up for them, and everyone is willing to play their part to create that space.
The Celtics have been king of the clutch and comebacks this season, and that is not just because of one player. They play in a way where every knows their role and responsibility, and that means everyone being ready to take a shot on any possession.
When it comes to the final possession of a close game, Stevens will certainly have his favorites, but he does not have to be picky. The most important thing is the Celtics do not have to force things to get Irving the ball, because he will be ale to trust his teammates, who continue to prove what they can do.
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The Celtics have played so many close games this season, and you can expect that to continue in the playoffs. No one in the league is more practiced in the clutch this season, and with the way they generate open shots, there may not be a team better equipped to win on that final possession.