It’s time for this Boston Celtics superstar to decide to win a championship

The Boston Celtics led the Utah Jazz by 20 points on Saturday night. They had the game in firm control. The ball movement was intelligent, Jayson Tatum had a solid second quarter, and Grant Williams re-emerged with seven 3-pointers. Despite this, the team took their foot off the gas, ultimately losing the game by one point after Grant Williams was blocked on the final possession.

This is a familiar sight for Celtics fans, particularly over the last few years. While we have grown accustomed to seeing triumphant wins, we have also become used to seeing winnable games slip by.

The Boston Celtics started off the season with an 18-4 record and looked like the clear favorite to come out of the East. They hit the All-Star Break at 42-17, with the first seed in control. In recent weeks, however, Boston has underperformed by their lofty standards. They’ve gone 7-6 since the break, including last week’s loss to the now 18-53 Houston Rockets, the 28-point Nets comeback, and two overtime losses in a row to the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Part of the Celtics’ recent struggles post-All-Star break stems from poor performances from Jayson Tatum. Across the last four games, he’s averaging a miserable 18.9% from beyond the arc. His play seems lazy. He chucks up shots too early, refusing to let plays develop. Mazzulla draws up plays for him on final possessions, including against Houston, when Jaylen Brown has the hotter hand. While he recently claimed to be okay with other teammates taking the final shot, it often doesn’t seem like that is the case.

The bright spot has been Brown. Over the same four-game stretch, Brown has averaged 32.5 PPG, shooting 53.8% from the field and 42.8% from the three-point line. He plays with aggression, passion, and a high basketball IQ.

The Boston Celtics must decide now is the time to take control of the east

As we approach the postseason, it is time for the Celtics to make a variety of decisions. Do they want to finish first in the conference, or third? Do they want to maintain energy and intelligent basketball, or do they want to continue to choke big leads? Most importantly, do they want to win a championship, or do they want to go out in the first round?

Ultimately, these decisions are to be made by the players themselves. Brown has made his decision. He wants to win.

Now it’s time for Tatum to make his own decision.