The Boston Celtics had to dig deep Friday night, but they found just enough to outlast the Brooklyn Nets 130-126 in a double-overtime thriller. In a game that had more twists than a playoff series, it was Payton Pritchard who stole the spotlight with a career-high 32 points, while Jaylen Brown added 27 points and a career-best 12 assists to help Boston escape a feisty Nets squad that refused to go away.
Let’s talk about that finish-because this one had layers.
With 7.9 seconds left in the first overtime, Brooklyn looked like it had the upset in its hands, leading 117-112. But Pritchard, who was lights-out all night, drilled a clutch three to cut the lead to two.
Boston then sent rookie Nolan Traore to the line, and he split the pair-opening the door just wide enough. That’s when things got wild.
Baylor Scheierman, showing poise beyond his years, delivered a slick no-look pass to 19-year-old Spanish rookie Hugo González, who calmly buried a corner three with 0.4 seconds on the clock to tie the game at 118 and force a second overtime. It was a moment that felt like it belonged to a veteran, not a teenager still getting his NBA legs under him.
But once the second OT tipped off, Boston took control. Anfernee Simmons powered through contact for a three-point play to put the Celtics ahead for good, and Sam Hauser’s triple with under two minutes to go made it a two-possession game at 128-124. From there, Boston held on, securing its fourth win in five games and avoiding what would have been a brutal letdown against a Nets team still licking its wounds from a 54-point loss to the Knicks just two days prior.
Credit where it’s due-the Nets came to play. Michael Porter Jr. poured in 30 points, and Traore bounced back from his missed free throw with a career-high 21 points. Nic Claxton was a force inside, finishing with 19 points and the thunderous putback dunk with 1.9 seconds left in regulation that sent the game to overtime in the first place.
Brooklyn’s effort was a far cry from its recent struggles. Despite losing nine of their last ten, the Nets showed real fight, especially in the fourth quarter when they erased a 10-point Celtics lead in the final three minutes with a 13-3 run.
But in the end, Boston’s depth and composure in crunch time made the difference. Pritchard’s performance was a reminder of how valuable he can be when his shot is falling, and Brown’s playmaking continues to evolve-his 12 assists were not just a career-high, but a sign of his growing role as a facilitator in Boston’s offense.
Up next, the Celtics head to Chicago for a Saturday night showdown, while the Nets will try to regroup as they face the Clippers in Los Angeles on Sunday. If nothing else, Brooklyn proved they’re not going down quietly.
But Boston? They’re showing they can win ugly-and that’s the kind of grit that matters come playoff time.