Jayson Tatum’s overtime jumper gave Boston the narrowest possible ending, while the Knicks and Spurs used emphatic home wins to steady uneven starts. New York stopped a previously unbeaten Detroit team, and San Antonio found its best offensive rhythm of the young season.

Brooklyn Nets @ Boston Celtics: Tatum gets the last word

Boston turned 38 free throws into 30 points; Brooklyn made 17 of 22. In a 125-124 overtime game, that 13-point gap at the line mattered, though it could not close the door by itself.

The Nets kept their nerve when Mikel Brown Jr. hit a tying three-pointer with 0.2 seconds left in regulation. Neither team led by more than eight, and Boston had to survive another Brooklyn chance after Brown missed a layup with 2.3 seconds left in overtime. Tatum then hit a 17-foot jumper at the buzzer. He finished with 40 points on 10-of-20 shooting, the decisive shot putting the final stamp on a night that had already demanded a full game’s worth of answers from both teams. ESPN’s recap details the finish, while the box score records Boston’s 14 turnovers to Brooklyn’s 15 and the Nets’ 48-47 rebounding edge.

The Celtics’ free-throw volume kept them in the game, but the last possession belonged to their best scorer. Brooklyn’s rookie had already supplied the shot that bought overtime; Tatum supplied the one Boston needed.

Detroit Pistons @ New York Knicks: a third-quarter correction

New York won the glass 49-45, then made its real move with the game still in reach. Detroit led 38-25 after the first quarter, but the Knicks answered with a 26-12 second and a 37-13 third to turn the game around.

New York also made 12 of 36 threes to Detroit’s 9 of 37, and converted 23 of 28 free throws against the Pistons’ 14 of 24. Those are three separate edges behind a 111-97 win, but the third-quarter burst was the one that changed the shape of the night. Josh Hart’s buzzer-beating three capped a 12-2 close to the period and left Detroit with too much ground to recover. ESPN’s game report has the quarter-by-quarter turn; the team box score shows the rebounding and shooting gaps.

Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 27 points and 20 rebounds, and Jalen Brunson added 23. Cade Cunningham posted 19 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists for Detroit, which had entered the night unbeaten. New York needed a response after an 0-3 start; this was a convincing one.

Sacramento Kings @ San Antonio Spurs: Wembanyama opens the floor

San Antonio made 17 of 37 threes, compared with Sacramento’s 13 of 37. The Spurs also won the rebound count 46-38 and had 35 assists to the Kings’ 28, giving a hot opening quarter the support to become a full-night separation.

The Spurs scored 39 in the first and 80 by halftime, then kept Sacramento at arm’s length in a 130-103 win. Victor Wembanyama had 29 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks, matching his career high with nine dunks. Julian Champagnie added 26 points and made eight of 13 threes, a role-player performance that made San Antonio’s early space difficult to take away. ESPN’s recap records the fast start and individual lines, and the box score confirms the Spurs’ edges in threes, rebounds, and assists.

San Antonio got its first home win of the season and a season-high scoring output. Sacramento stayed winless. The distinction was visible before halftime, when the Spurs had already built a 26-point lead.

The wider league note

The biggest individual line from Tuesday’s completed games belonged to Tatum, but the league’s milestone came from Dallas the night before. Cooper Flagg, 19 years and 309 days old, became the first teenager in NBA history to record at least 25 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, and five steals in a game; he had 29 points, six rebounds, 11 assists, five steals, and three blocks against Miami. The NBA’s October 27 roundup reported the mark.

Boston needed one shot to finish its night. New York needed one quarter to take control. San Antonio needed no late rescue at all.