BOSTON — The Brooklyn Nets demonstrated resilience, composure and significant late-game improvement Tuesday night, only to discover that the NBA's standings system recognizes none of those achievements.
Brooklyn lost 125–124 in overtime after Jayson Tatum hit a buzzer-beating jumper.
The result was particularly cruel because the Nets had done so much to earn an entirely different ending.
Rookie Mikel Brown Jr. made a dramatic three-pointer with 0.2 seconds remaining in regulation, forcing overtime and briefly creating the impression that Brooklyn was about to record the kind of breakthrough victory rebuilding teams are always discussing.
The Nets then took a 124–123 lead late in the extra period.
With just over two seconds remaining, Boston recovered possession, gave the ball to Tatum and watched him complete the sort of final possession that makes every previous Brooklyn achievement feel like an elaborate setup.
Michael Porter Jr. finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds, while Julius Randle scored 24.
Those performances mattered. Brown's late shot mattered. Brooklyn's competitiveness against a strong opponent mattered.
Unfortunately, none of them mattered enough to change the final score.
The Nets are a young team, and these close games can provide important experience.
But developmental progress is a difficult thing to celebrate when an opponent has just hit the winning shot directly in front of you.
Brooklyn earned plenty of reasons to feel encouraged.
Boston earned the actual win.
The NBA continues to insist on recording only one of those accomplishments.
