Former Duke basketball star Jayson Tatum was blocked at the rim in an instant classic Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals.
It was an instant classic of a Game One in the Eastern Conference Finals, and fans are hoping there will be at least six more games of this series between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.
Jayson Tatum was a star in every sense of the word, but Heat star forward Bam Adebayo just beat the former Blue Devil to the rim in the biggest play of the game as Tatum went to try and tie the game in the final second with a monster dunk. The hand of Adebayo was able to swallow the ball just before it found its way into the cylinder.
However, while the block by the Heat forward was the highlight of the game, Adebayo did have the chance to end the game at the free throw line to push the Miami lead to four points, but after splitting his free throws, the Celtics had a chance to tie the game with a 3-pointer.
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A long inbounds pass went to Tatum, then he slipped, gathered himself, and was able to get a shot off within two seconds that barely missed and almost sent the game to double overtime.
BAM ADEBAYO DENIES IT AT THE RIM AND THE @MIAMIHEAT WIN GAME 1 IN OT! #NBAPLAYOFFS pic.twitter.com/KC93vLR2Fy
— NBA (@NBA) September 16, 2020
As for the other 52 and a half minutes of the game, Jayson Tatum was simply incredible, hitting the game-tying technical free throw in the late stages of the fourth quarter, but a step-back 3-pointer was unable to fall at the buzzer, which would have given the Celtics a victory.
Tatum posted his fifth straight double-double in his second-ever Eastern Conference Finals appearance with 30 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and three steals on 10-of-24 shooting from the field and 4-of-12 shooting from 3-point range.
Both teams are gearing up for another battle in Game Two of the series, but one thing should be said about Bam Adebayo’s block.
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It was not the best block in NBA Playoff history.
LeBron James blocked Andre Iguodala to win the NBA Finals for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the first championship in franchise history, ending a 52-year championship drought in the town’s history, and overcoming a 3-1 deficit against the best regular season team in NBA history.
It was an amazing block by Adebayo, but let’s not be prisoners of the moment.