With just minutes remaining in Game 7 of last season’s Eastern Conference finals, Jayson Tatum curled off an Al Horford screen and for a split-second, eyed off hedging defender Tristan Thompson.
Tatum knew Thompson was toast.
Thompson knew Thompson was toast.
And then it happened.
Tatum darted straight past his Canadian adversary and threw down a dunk so thunderous it would soon be heard around the world, cramming it right on LeBron James’ head.
If that wasn’t enough, the ballsy 20-year-old followed it up by chest bumping James in the aftermath.
Tatum still has no idea what made him do that.
But he certainly doesn’t have any regrets.
“I don’t know why I yelled and bumped him,” Tatum told GQ this week.
“But I’m glad I did. I will always remember that.
“But I was running back on defence like, ‘Oh, my God.’
“I couldn’t believe what I just did.”
He even backed it up by hitting an outrageous, off-balance three to send the Celtics crowd into raptures on the very next possession.
No wonder Kobe pulled Tatum aside this summer and told him to shoot every time.
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