Jayson Tatum scored 40 points and eight assists to carry the Boston Celtics past the Brooklyn Nets 125-124 in overtime Tuesday at TD Garden. Boston improved to 3-1; Brooklyn fell to 0-4 with its fourth straight loss.
Tatum made 18 of 22 free throws and pushed Boston’s win streak to three games. Michael Porter Jr. led Brooklyn with 27 points and 12 rebounds, but the Nets could not overcome a 52-46 edge Boston held in points in the paint.
Takeaways From Celtics’ Win Over Nets
Boston’s free throw edge proved decisive
The Celtics went 30 of 38 from the free-throw line compared to Brooklyn’s 17 of 22, a 13-point swing at the foul line that covered the final one-point margin. Tatum alone made 18 free throws, more than double any other player in the game.
Brooklyn let an eight-point lead slip away
The Nets led by as many as eight points and held a 31-26 edge after the first quarter, but Boston answered with 30-point quarters in the second and third to erase the deficit. Brooklyn shot 46% from the field for the game but could not hold serve down the stretch.
Bench scoring tilted in Boston’s favor
Jordan Walsh added 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting and Sam Hauser hit three 3-pointers for 11 points off the Celtics bench. Brooklyn got a lift from Nolan Traore, who scored 15 points, but the Nets’ reserves could not match Boston’s depth in the extra period.
Player Of The Game: Jayson Tatum
Tatum finished with 40 points, eight assists and five rebounds in 42 minutes, shooting 10 of 20 from the field and 18 of 22 at the line. His 40-point, eight-assist line led all scorers and set the tone for Boston’s comeback from an early eight-point deficit.
Celtics Vs Nets By The Numbers
Boston outscored Brooklyn 61-51 in the second and third quarters combined to turn an early deficit into control. The Celtics won the paint battle 52-46 and had 32 assists to Brooklyn’s 26. The Nets shot 46% overall and out-rebounded Boston 48-47, but the Celtics’ 30-of-38 free-throw shooting (79%) to Brooklyn’s 17 of 22 (77%) provided the margin in a one-point thriller.
What It Means
Boston moved to 3-1 and sits tied with Philadelphia atop the Atlantic Division at .750, extending its winning streak to three games. Brooklyn fell to 0-4 and last in the division, 3.0 games back. Boston leads the season series 1-0.
What’s Next
The Celtics search for their next opponent while Brooklyn looks for its first win of the season.
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