Jayson Tatum Hits Game-Winning Three Over Giannis as Celtics Beat Bucks in Season Opener

Jayson Tatum was not having his best shooting night. Entering the Celtics’ final possession, the 22-year-old star was 11-for-27 from the field, a far cry from his career mark of 45.7%.

When it mattered most, though, Tatum rose to the occasion.

With two-time Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo guarding him, Tatum banked in a go-ahead three-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining to give Boston a 122–120 lead. On the ensuing possession, Antetokounmpo was fouled on the inbounds play, but he missed the second free throw to clinch the one-point win for the Celtics.

Tatum finished the night 30 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Antetokounmpo had 35 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks, along with seven turnovers.

Tatum struggled from inside the three-point line but was on the mark from deep, going 6-for-13 from beyond the arc. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 33 points on 13-of-24 shooting.

Boston led, 101–84, after three quarters when the Bucks made their comeback. Milwaukee opened the fourth on a 29–12 run to tie the score at 113 with just over four minutes to play. The two sides traded leads for the next few minutes, with the Bucks taking a 120-119 lead with 1:10 left on a three-pointer by newly acquired point guard Jrue Holiday.

The teams missed their next four shots combined before Tatum’s clutch shot. Afterwards, he discussed having the ball in his hands in clutch, late-game situations.

“Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to be in that position, and I could live with the result,” Tatum said. “If I make the right play, and if it’s a shot for me, and if it goes down or not, that’s what I work so hard for. In that position, you’ve just got to try to make the right play, if it’s making a play for a teammate or taking that last shot, you just want to be in that moment…this is a big team win.”