The Boston Celtics pulled off a scrappy win against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, earning a 1-0 lead in their playoff-opening series matchup. The game was down to the wire and was only decided via a clutch buzzer-beater courtesy of Jayson Tatum, who nailed a fading close-ranged jumper as time expired. Tatum's game-winner at TD Garden didn't only seal the win for the Celtics, it also cemented his place in Boston lore, having achieved something all-time greats of the franchise, including Bill Russell, Larry Bird, and more, failed to do. It was the first time in the history of the Boston Celtics that a player has scored a game-winning buzzer-beater in the playoffs during a home game across 358 games, per Micah Adams.
That was the first game-winning buzzer beater in the playoffs at home in Celtics history.
This was the 358th home game in Celtics playoff history.
For a storied franchise that’s seen almost everything you can imagine, that was a first.
— Micah Adams (@MicahAdams13) April 17, 2022
Considering the remarkably successful history of the franchise, that feat is truly astonishing. The Celtics have played at home in the playoffs 358 times. Most playoff games are not blowouts as it's when the best teams in the league are pitted up against one another. Despite that, no Celtic had ever hit a game-winning buzzer-beater on their home court in the playoffs, until Sunday.
Tatum's dagger in the Nets will live on in Celtics history, especially if the C's can take the energy from this big win in Game 1 and use it to fuel a deep surge through the Eastern Conference. This was only Game 1, but the intensity was high, and Tatum sent Celtics fans, and his teammates, home with a smile on their face.
He'll now have yet another place in Celtics history, and before long he'll have a whole building named after him in Boston based on his NBA career.
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