With the recent emergence of clutch stats, the NBA began giving out a Clutch Player of the Year award three years ago.
The NBA defines clutch time as the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points.
With Friday’s win over the Pelicans, the Celtics improved to 14-9 in clutch situations, giving them the fourth-best clutch win percentage in the league.
Jayson Tatum, who sealed the win with a buzzer-beater with 0.2 seconds remaining, appears to be making a case as a contender for the relatively new award.