What happened: Jayson Tatum beat the overtime horn to decide the game and finish with a 40-point performance. Called upon for the final possession of the extra session, Tatum delivered the walk-off basket that prompted the postgame assessment: 'We got the ball to the MVP, and he took us home.

Why it matters: The overtime finish came on the second night of a back-to-back after the four-time All-NBA First Team forward was cleared for both contests. Operating with an attack-first mandate to open the 2026-27 regular season, Tatum remains the primary option in late-clock situations.

What to watch: Workload and minutes management will be monitored entering the next game on the 2026-27 regular-season schedule after Tatum logged overtime on consecutive nights.