The Top 5 Plays from the Celtics-Spurs Game

From a play type that's never made it into this series until now to the Boston Celtics turning defense and hustle plays into points, here are the top five plays from the Celtics' game against the San Antonio Spurs.

From a play type that's never made it into this series until now to the Boston Celtics turning defense and hustle plays into points, here are the top five plays from the Celtics' game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Robert Williams Cleans Up the Mess

Jaylen Brown intercepts a sloppy exchange on the inbounds pass between Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson, and he pushes the ball up the floor. Brown doesn't get the layup to go, but Robert Williams is trailing the play and, as he's known to do, throws down a thunderous putback jam.

Devin Vassell's Thunderous Throwdown

The slight (and legal) shove Bryn Forbes gives Grant Williams to create separation before getting the ball to Vassell on a dribble handoff is what sets his teammate up for the emphatic one-handed slam. Jayson Tatum prepares and then proceeds to switch onto Forbes, and when the DHO happens, Williams is out of position when he has to pick up Vassell. What happens next is the Florida State alum gliding through the air en route to a highlight-reel jam.

Jayson Tatum Blocks, Robert Williams Steals and Scores

In a battle of long-limbed individuals, even by NBA standards, Vassell beats Tatum off the dribble, but the latter recovers and swats the former's shot from behind. Then, Dejounte Murray tries to save the ball but makes the almost always costly mistake of throwing it to the opposition. While the play didn't end with a Robert Williams dunk, Boston's big man was able to convert his steal from beyond half court into two points at the other end.

Marcus Smart's Save Leads to a Jaylen Brown Three

Marcus Smart makes a terrific hustle play, tracking down the missed three by Tatum and slinging the ball to Al Horford at the top of the key. The veteran big man quickly whips the ball over to Jaylen Brown, and Brown drills the triple for three of his 30 points.

Derrick White Preserves San Antonio's Late Lead

It's the first, and quite possibly, the last time a charge makes it into the top five plays series, but this was a huge play and one that deserved to make the cut.

What makes it even more commendable is that it's the second half of a sequence where Derrick White locked down Tatum, then stripped him as he rose to shoot, and followed that up with a charge in transition against Brown. Those stops came on two of the Celtics' last possessions of the game while San Antonio was clinging to a two-point lead.