The Boston Celtics lost a double-overtime thriller to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in their NBA season opener. New York gave them opportunities to take control of the game late in regulation and overtime, but the Celtics were not able to capitalize.
Boston led by as many as 12 points in the game, so some will say this was a missed opportunity for them. One player who did everything he could to get them a win was Jaylen Brown.
Brown started the game out on fire and never slowed down. He poured in a career-high 46 points, shooting 16-of-30 from the field, knocking down eight of his 14 3-point attempts as well. Nothing New York was throwing at him was slowing him down much, as he scored from all over the court.
His long-range 3-pointer near the end of regulation helped propel the Celtics to tie the game and push it into overtime. He added nine rebounds and six assists in 45 minutes, carrying the team.
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Jaylen Brown did all he could, but it wasn’t enough to get the win. Jayson Tatum spoke highly of his teammate’s performance after the game.
“He carried us tonight,” Tatum said of Brown after the game. “The plays he was making, the shots he was hitting, he was unbelievable.”
Boston needed all of it to remain competitive with the Knicks as Tatum had a brutal season opener. He was 7-of-30 from the field as he just couldn’t find his rhythm.
“I feel like I had a thousand wide-open shots that I normally make,” Tatum said. “Today just wasn’t the case. I feel like I got some great looks and great opportunities, but sometimes they just don’t go in.”
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Credit needs to be given to New York Knicks Knicks small forward RJ Barrett, who looks to be taking that next step in his development defensively. He bothered Tatum throughout the night and played a part in the poor shooting performance.
While it was disappointing to not get the win, the Boston Celtics should be encouraged. If Jayson Tatum plays up to his career averages, they likely win on opening night.
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