Celtics Beat Nets 125-124 in Overtime on Tatum Buzzer Beater as Tatum Scores 40

The Boston Celtics beat the Brooklyn Nets 125-124 in overtime on Tuesday night, October 27, 2026, at TD Garden in Boston. Jayson Tatum made an elbow jumper as time expired in overtime to win the game, after Boston had trailed 124-123 and took possession with 2.3 seconds left to play.

Tatum scored a game high 40 points. He made a career high 18 free throws on 22 attempts, and he added 5 rebounds and 8 assists. He made 10 of his 20 shots and played 42 minutes and 20 seconds in a game Boston needed until its final possession.

A return still in progress

Tatum spoke after the game about his return from an Achilles tendon tear, in an interview reported by Basketball Network from NBC Sports Boston. "For me, obviously results matter. I’m 18 months out, and for me it’s about progress," Tatum said. The 40 points and the winning shot were the clearest sign of that progress so far this season, on a night when Boston trailed at halftime and shot poorly from long range early.

Paul George added 20 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists for Boston.

Brooklyn answers, then falls short

Michael Porter Jr. led Brooklyn with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Julius Randle finished with 24 points and 9 rebounds before he fouled out in overtime.

Brooklyn trailed 117-114 late in the fourth quarter, then forced overtime. Mikel Brown Jr. made a 3-pointer with one second left in regulation to tie the game 117-117. The New York Post reported that 0.3 seconds remained when the shot fell. Brown took responsibility for the closing plays after the loss. "But I can’t make an excuse. There’s a lot of plays down the stretch I messed up on that I take full accountability of, and I’m gonna be better," he said, as reported by the New York Post.

Overtime finished 8-7 to Boston. Brooklyn held the last lead at 124-123 before Boston took possession for the final play, and Tatum ended the game from the elbow.

How the game turned

Brooklyn led 61-56 at halftime. Boston made only 2 of 16 attempts from 3-point range in the first half, then made eight 3-pointers in the third quarter and led 86-82 entering the fourth. Brooklyn won the fourth quarter 35-31 to force the extra period. The quarter scores were Boston 26, 30, 30 and 31, and Brooklyn 31, 30, 21 and 35, before the 8-7 overtime.

The win was Boston's third in a row. Boston improved to 3-1, and Brooklyn fell to 0-4, still without a win after a game it led at halftime and tied at the last second of regulation.