Jayson Tatum put the Celtics on his back in overtime and walked out of Brooklyn with a statement win, a buzzer-beater, and a stack of historic marks to go with it.
Boston’s 125-124 victory over the Nets came down to the final shot, and Tatum answered with a turnaround bucket at the overtime horn to seal it. The finish sent Celtics fans into a frenzy and added another loud moment to a season in which Tatum has already been doing plenty of heavy lifting.
JAYSON TATUM. GAME-WINNING @TISSOT BUZZER-BEATER TO SEAL IT FOR THE CELTICS IN OT 🤯😳 🚨⏰Everyone Gets 24 https://t.co/UwK9VKPJeq
- NBA (@NBA) October 28, 2026
The reaction online came fast. One fan wrote, "Jayson Tatum lookin like the MVP lmao," while another took aim at the old debate around Boston’s star core: "If u ever thought Tatum should’ve been traded over brown at any point in their time in Boston together, go kick rocks.
Tatum is winning MVP this year. His world we’re just living in it."
Another pointed out how often Tatum has been delivering in late-game spots: "It gets lost every season how clutch Tatum is, but that's 2 games in 4 this season where he's just hit shots everytime he's been called upon."
The overtime winner was just the headline moment. Tatum logged a team-high 42 minutes and turned in a complete night, scoring 40 points on 50% shooting and hitting 81.8% of his free throws.
He also handed out eight assists without a single turnover, serving as both the closer and the engine for Boston’s offense. On top of that, he added five rebounds and a block as the Celtics earned their third win of the season.
The performance also pushed Tatum into some rare company in Celtics history. He now has the lead in 40-point, 5-rebound, and 5-assist games before turning 29 in franchise history. He also became the fastest Celtics player to reach 100-plus points, 25-plus rebounds, and 25-plus assists, sitting at 112 points, 25 rebounds, and 32 assists so far in the 2026-27 season.
Tatum added another line to the record book, too. He became only the second player in Celtics history to post 40-plus points and 8-plus assists without turning the ball over. Larry Bird is the only one who has done it twice, against the Portland Trail Blazers in 1988 and the Orlando Magic in 1990, per Dick Lipe of NBC Sports.
Boston got another notable defensive night from Paul George as well. The veteran played 36 minutes and finished with two steals, helping disrupt Brooklyn’s offense.
That performance moved him to 2.3 steals per game, the highest mark in Celtics history. The list behind him includes Rajon Rondo at 1.9, David Wesley and Larry Bird at 1.7, and a cluster of others further down the board.
The season is still young, but Tatum already looks comfortable carrying the load when the moment demands it.
In Other News...
Nets Let A Winnable Road Game Slip Away At The Worst Time
Brooklyn had every reason to feel good about how it had fought its way into a tight finish in Boston, especially with rookie Mikel Brown Jr. giving the Nets a burst of life in the fourth quarter. He scored 13 points in the period, and for a stretch it looked like Brooklyn might steal a road game it had no business controlling for long stretches.
Instead, a late mistake gave the Celtics the opening they needed in a game that was already hanging by a thread. The Nets left with a 125-124 overtime loss, a brutal ending in a matchup that had been there for the taking and will linger because the final possession turned from a chance to close it out into another reminder of how thin the margin is on the road. [Read more 🡒]
Why The Nets Wanted No Part Of Jaylen Brown
When Boston came calling with a trade idea for Jaylen Brown, the Nets reportedly didnt need long to think it over. According to league insider Brian Lewis, Brooklyn passed on the offer because Browns close relationship with Kyrie Irving was part of the package, and the organization was wary of reopening old doors it had worked hard to close.
For the Nets, it was less about Browns talent than the memory attached to the move. League sources said Brooklyn wanted no part of anything that could resemble another Kyrie Irving situation, a reminder of how much the franchise still measures potential additions against the turbulence that came with Irvings stint there. Brown eventually landed with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he is playing now, but the reason Brooklyn backed away says plenty about the standards the team is applying to its roster decisions. [Read more 🡒]
Nets May Have Avoided A Bigger Egor Demin Scare
Egor Demins night ended early in Boston after he left with a right leg contusion and never returned, a frustrating turn in an overtime loss for the Nets. The injury came after a collision with Paul George, and Brooklyn was left to sort through another short-handed finish while trying to assess how much trouble its rookie guard was really in.
Demin offered a calmer read after the game, saying the issue does not appear serious and that he expects to be back in a couple of days. Even so, there was still some uncertainty about whether he would need imaging, and his availability for Fridays matchup with the Detroit Pistons remains up in the air. [Read more 🡒]