Jayson Tatum scores 60 points, tying Larry Bird’s record as Celtics win wild 143-140 overtime win over Spurs

BOSTON — The Celtics looked like they reverted to their worst selves, playing one of the worst first halves of the season.

Jayson Tatum wasn’t having any of that — and he made some history on the way. A 32-point deficit was vanquished throughout the second half as Tatum and the Celtics just kept chipping away.

A dominant third quarter sparked a comeback effort, and unlike typical C’s fashion this season, they completed it in a wild 143-140 overtime win Friday at TD Garden. Tatum scored a career-high 60 points, tying Larry Bird for the all-time single game scoring record in C’s history.

The Spurs were running away with the game in the first, shooting 71.4% from the field and getting to just about any spot they wanted. Then it was the Celtics’ turn, burying the Spurs with 3-pointers and stout defense. By the time overtime hit, the teams outscored each other by 29 points in each half, setting up the final five minutes.

Tatum was the best player on the court Friday on his way to a career night, earning MVP chants from the crowd. Tristan Thompson was huge as he put up eight points and 15 rebounds. It was a brutal shooting night for Jaylen Brown, who scored 17 points on 5-for-24 shooting, but he hit a crucial late 3-pointer. Aaron Nesmith reset his career-high for the second straight game with 16 points.

The Celtics wrap-up a four game home stand by hosting the Trail Blazers at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at TD Garden.

Here are four takeaways from Boston’s wild comeback victory:

Tatum stellar all night. While the Celtics’ deficit ballooned in the first quarter, there was a bizarre happenstance going on at the same time: No other Celtic besides Tatum had scored. Thompson ended that with a follow-up dunk with less than a minute to go, but throughout Friday, it was Tatum’s heroics that kept the Celtics in the game. Even when Boston was down big, Tatum put up numbers in a 24-point first half. Once his teammates got in on more action in the second half were they able to piece together the necessary ingredients for a comeback. But it was Tatum’s consistency that was so huge for the Celtics.

Nesmith puts up another nice game. After performing down the stretch in Wednesday’s win, Nesmith was again a factor Friday — this time in Boston’s comeback. Nesmith was efficient at 7-for-9 shooting, picking up six rebounds as well. He was feisty and aggressive; look no further than the five personal fouls he picked up. But Nesmith made important shots and was a big reason why the Celtics were able to mount their comeback attempt.

Williams re-joins the starting lineup. It didn’t take long for Brad Stevens to roll with Robert Williams III back into the starting lineup. Williams missed seven games because of knee tendinitis issues, which prompted Tristan Thompson back in with the starters. It was a tough time for Williams as he was jelling with the starters and starting to find his stride with a tick up in minutes. Williams ended up playing 23 minutes, a positive sign he’s getting healthier.

Another playoff team next. The Trail Blazers come into town as they jostle in playoff positioning in the Western Conference. It’s another tough game as the Spurs are in similar positions as the Celtics: hovering around the .500 mark while trying to climb up the standings. There is some positive news. Portland is the toughest team left on Boston’s schedule from a schedule standpoint. The two games after that are against the bottom-dwelling Magic and Cavs, huge opportunities for wins.