Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics acknowledges a critical error in his attempt at a game-winning shot against the Denver Nuggets.

Despite achieving the best home start in franchise history, the Boston Celtics experienced their first loss at TD Garden on Friday night. The Denver Nuggets, reigning NBA champions, managed to secure a close victory over the Celtics with a final score of 102-100.

In the fourth quarter, the Celtics had an opportunity to maintain their flawless home record, but the Nuggets outperformed them in the closing moments. After a rare jump ball with 17 seconds left, Boston won the tip and promptly called a timeout.

Following the timeout, Boston attempted to create an opportunity by moving the ball, but they struggled to find a clear opening. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla intervened with another timeout, leaving just 4.2 seconds on the clock and the Nuggets leading 102-100.

Star player Jayson Tatum had a crucial chance to tie the game for Boston. However, Denver’s formidable defense, combined with the dwindling time on the clock, led to a challenging fadeaway shot that ultimately missed, securing the Nuggets’ narrow 102-100 victory.

Following the closely contested loss, Jayson Tatum shared with the media the details of what went wrong with his attempt at a game-tying jumper, as reported by Jack Simone from CelticsBlog.

Jayson Tatum acknowledged his mistake, stating, “Yeah, I think I kind of rushed it. And that’s on me. In the back of my mind, I wasn’t sure if they were going to foul. They had a foul to give. I had more time than I gave myself. So, I should have taken some more time. But you can’t go back. So, it’s something I can learn from.”

Despite Tatum and Jaylen Brown combining for 43 points, it wasn’t enough to counter Denver’s dynamic duo. The 2023 champions, Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray, scored a total of 69 points, showcasing why they are considered one of the best tandems in the league.

The Celtics experienced their second home loss, bringing their record to 20-1 at home, but they maintain the best overall NBA record at 32-10. In close games decided by five points or fewer, Boston’s record is now 3-2. To have a shot at surpassing the Nuggets this season, the Celtics must analyze this loss, particularly focusing on improving their late-game performance.