Opening week in the NBA delivered its first classic Tuesday night in Boston, as Jayson Tatum drilled a contested baseline fadeaway jumper as time expired in overtime, lifting the defending champion Boston Celtics to a pulse-pounding 110-109 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
Brooklyn's High-Pace Challenge
The visiting Nets, led by Jordi Fernández's fast-breaking pace, pushed Boston to the brink. Brooklyn forced 18 turnovers and led by three points inside the final 30 seconds of regulation before Derrick White forced overtime with a clutch corner three.
Tatum's Signature Moment
Trailing 109-108 with 4.1 seconds remaining in overtime, head coach Joe Mazzulla called an isolation clear-out for Tatum. Operating from the right wing, Tatum drove baseline, elevated over two closing defenders, and kissed the ball off the glass as the horn sounded, sealing a memorable opening week triumph at TD Garden.
