Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 123-101 tonight after a dominant fourth-quarter start that sealed a game tied 79-79 late in the third quarter.
Tatum had a solid start and set the offensive tone from the first quarter, scoring 11 points in the first 12 minutes. He finished with 21 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two blocks, shooting 8-17 from the field (47.1% FG) and 3-7 from beyond the arc (42.8% 3P).
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After the game, Jayson Tatum spoke to a sideline reporter. He shared his thoughts on three key storylines from tonight: facing Jaylen Brown, posterizing LeBron James, and his teammate Paul George’s explosive performance.
Earlier, he downplayed facing Jaylen Brown, a former teammate with whom he spent nine years in Boston, saying every win counts the same, which was interpreted as him saying it didn’t feel any different to play Brown. But Tatum clarified his comment.
“I meant to say they all count as one. No game is bigger than the other, definitely in the regular season. It’s just one game, the hoopla is over, and now we can play tomorrow,” Jayson Tatum said about facing Jaylen Brown tonight.
The reporter then asked about the third-quarter poster over LeBron James, which was reminiscent of his dunk over James in 2018.
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“It just kind of felt good to finish through contact. It’s been about 19 months since I dunked on somebody, so it felt good to get that feeling back under my legs. But it’s just a basketball play,” Tatum said.
JAYSON TATUM THROWS IT DOWN ON LEBRON WOW
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 11, 2026
While Tatum set the offensive tone early, Paul George carried that momentum in crucial moments and powered the Celtics’ offense with elite shooting tonight. He led the Celtics in scoring, finishing with 36 points, five rebounds, and one assist while shooting 14-22 from the field (63.6% FG) and 6-11 from beyond the arc (54.5% 3P).
“I mean, he’s been incredible all season,” Tatum said of Paul George’s performance. “The joy he’s played with, what he brought to our team so far has been great, so we’re lucky to have him and keep it going.”
This matchup was significant not just to see Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown face each other on opposing teams, but also to see Paul George return against a team that traded him away. So this intensity was expected from the veteran.
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This was the first of four meetings between the two sides this season. The Celtics now move on to face the Raptors tomorrow night (November 11) in Toronto.
Meanwhile, the 76ers also face the Raptors, but the day after tomorrow (November 12). It will be interesting to see how things turn out on January 21, when the two sides meet at Boston’s TD Garden.
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