The Boston Celtics managed to rally back from a 32-point deficit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs tonight, 143-140 OT.
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Jayson Tatum was the main reason for the same, as the prolific forward dropped a career-high 60 points for the Cs. Tatum was unstoppable in the final period once he nailed 21 points, adding 10 during the overtime and sealing the victory with two free throws four seconds before the final buzzer.
Once Drew Eubanks scored with 3:58 of the second, the Celtics were down 65-33, and those lucky fans able to watch this game believed that they might witness one of the worst losses in the franchise history. Yet instead, they saw arguably the most remarkable comeback of their favorites over the past two decades.
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The Spurs had 71.4% shooting in the first half and were smashing Boston’s defense in all areas. Gregg Popovich’s side scored 77 points in the opening 24 minutes, enjoying one of the best sequences since the start of the year. But the second half was a nightmare.
Gradually, the home team cut the deficit, entering the last frame 13 points behind. With 5:36 to go, Marcus Smart sunk a three-pointer to tie the result at 116-all, and from that moment on, the two teams traded baskets in an extremely interesting closure of the fight.
With 16.7 seconds left in the OT, Jaylen Brown scored a go-ahead three that lifted Boston to 139-137, and after that, Tatum scored two more points from the foul line, securing the 34th victory of the year of his side.
Tatum was 20-for-37 from the field, and 15-for-17 from the free-throw line, having 8 boards and five assists. Jaylen Brown had 17 points and Aaron Nesmith 16 off the bench. Marcus Smart had a double-double 10 points, and 12 boards.
On the other side, DeMar DeRozan led the way with 30 buckets and 14 assists. Dejounte Murray and Looney Walker IV had 24, yet Murray added 8 assists and boards each. Rudy Gay scored 16, Jakob Poeltl delivered a double-double 15 buckets and 10 boards.
San Antonio is 9th in the West, four games behind the sixth places Mavs, and three and a half games ahead of the Pelicans, who are chasing the play-in spot. The Spurs head back home to face the 76ers.
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Meanwhile, the Cs are holding the sixth seed in the East with the same record (34-30) as the fifth Atlanta Hawks. Boston needs to keep on winning as seventh-placed Heat have 33 wins and 30 losses and breathe down their neck. They host the Trail Blazers next.
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