Boston Celtics: 2 Cs land on league’s list of top-10 “handle moves”
By Mark Nilon
In a recent post on the NBA’s official Instagram page, two members of the Boston Celtics were listed as having some of the best “handle moves” from 2019-20.
Though the season may not have lasted as long as many fans had hoped, 2019-20 proved to be a truly successful campaign for the Boston Celtics.
Despite enduring a plethora of offseason changes heading into the year, the team managed to muster together just one less win than they did in 2018-19 (with a higher winning percentage, mind you) and finished third in their respective conference standings, fifth in the league’s standings, and came within two games of reaching their first NBA Finals appearance in over a decade.
For those who followed closely, you’d know that the season was chock full of entertainment and “razzle-dazzle” plays — frankly, this is expected when having five players rank within ESPN’s top-50 list.
In regard to razzle-dazzle, the NBA’s official Instagram page recently came out with a list ranking the top-10 “handle moves” from 2019-20 and, found within said list are two members of the Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker.
Both placing within the top-3 and, interestingly enough, both moves coming against the Los Angeles Clippers, the two plays chosen were easily revered as some of the best from the team all season.
It would appear the league itself would think they were some of the best plays, not just by the team, but by the entire association last year.
Placed at No. 3 we see Kemba Walker pulling out his vintage crossover to step-back maneuver that has helped him become known as one of the best ball handlers in the game today. The victim was, then, second-year shooting guard Landry Shamet during a February 13th outing where the Cs reigned victorious to the tune of 141-133.
At No. 1 we see the likes of Jayson Tatum who put All-Defensive talent and perennial All-Star, Paul George, on skates.
Down by 3 with about 17 seconds left during their November 20th bout, the young stud got the ball at the top of the arc where George switched on to him.
Putting the burners on when heading to the right, after 3 quick and long strides Tatum would then stop on a dime, cross the ball back to his left and, in turn, send George stumbling to the floor where the 22-year-old would get into his shooting formation and knock down the game-tying trey.
Though the Boston Celtics still wound up losing at the buzzer (107-104) thanks to a Kawhi Leonard game-saving block on Kemba Walker, this specific play by Tatum was the clear-cut sign that 2019-20 was going to be his year to rule.
As the months went on he would play himself into his first All-Star game and, by season’s end, was selected to the All-NBA Third Team.
Both of these plays are well deserving to be on the NBA’s top handles list, and should certainly remain in the minds of fans as two of the many bright spots that came from the franchise last season.