WATCH: Jayson Tatum hits crazy buzzer beater in playoff win
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum came up with the biggest shot in a back-and-forth game against the Brooklyn Nets to win 115-114 and take a 1-0 series lead. In a game where four Celtics players scored 20-plus points, the unselfish play of multiple teammates with less than 10 seconds remaining proved the difference.
After forcing a 3-point miss by Nets star Kevin Durant with 15 seconds left on the clock, the Celtics brought the ball down the court and gave it to forward Jaylen Brown on the wing. He then drove baseline and kicked the ball to the wing, where guard Marcus Smart pump-faked a 3-pointer as two defenders flew by him. Seeing Jayson Tatum cut to the basket, he passed the ball back across the court for a last-second shot.
Tatum caught the ball and immediately made a spin move around the last defender between him and the basket. He then laid the ball up and in for the win as time expired.
The former Duke star finished the game with 31 points, eight assists and four rebounds. Brown and Smart, along with center Al Horford all added 20-plus points to the Celtics total.
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Celtics face Nets in NBA Playoffs
The Boston Celtics entered the series at the 2-seed in the Eastern Conference, but many experts picked the 7-seed Brooklyn Nets to advance to the second round and beyond because of the connection between Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, along with the potential addition of injured star Ben Simmons midway through the series.
By picking up the win in game one, the Celtics now hold onto their home-court advantage. Game two will also take place in Boston before games three and four move to Brooklyn. From there, games are played as necessary and alternate locations with the potential game seven taking place in Boston.
The winner of the series will face either the 3-seed Milwaukee Bucks, the defending NBA champions, or the 6-seed Chicago Bulls.