BOSTON — Chris Paul turned to Billy Donovan and told his coach which Celtic he wanted to guard: Jayson Tatum.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to get him?” Dennis Schroder asked Paul.
Even though Schroder had just swiped a steal for a go-ahead basket, there was no chance the veteran Paul was going to pass on the opportunity to lock up one of the game’s best young players.
The Celtics got the ball to Tatum on the right elbow. Tatum backed down the smaller Paul as the final seconds ticked from the clock. Tatum spun and released an 18-foot jump shot that barely grazed the front of the rim.