Saturday night had all the feels of a playoff atmosphere at TD Garden.

Two teams, each housing one of the best players in the NBA.

Both of those players are a part of the MVP conversation in varying capacities - one of which as a dark horse candidate, and the other as a presumptive future, multi time winner of the award.

I’m talking, of course, about Jaylen Brown of the Celtics (24-14) and Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs (27-12), both guys living up to the hype of a heavyweight bout.

Brown poured in 27 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in 43 minutes of action, but ran out of steam late. “Wemby,” on the other hand, came into his own as the game went along, taking over the game in the second half and ending the contest with 21 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks in 26 minutes, good for a +15 for San Antonio.

The Spurs completed a comeback victory, beating Boston 100-95, and doing so while shooting 16 (!) more free throws than the Celtics. Boston finished the night with four attempts, while San Antonio had 20.

Jaylen Brown was livid postgame. I highly recommend you give his comments a read.

He’ll have plenty of time to reflect on what he said, as he’s likely to miss Monday night’s game in Indy - listed as doubtful as of publishing.

Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers Information

Game Date: January 12, 2026
Game Time: 7:30 PM ET
TV Channel: NBC Sports Boston (Boston) & FanDuel Sports Network Indiana (Indianapolis)
Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub (Boston) & 93.7 / 107.5 The Fan (Indianapolis)
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Live Stream: Fubo & NBA League Pass

Missed any of Saturday night’s loss to San Antonio? Here were some takeaways:

Joe Mazzulla’s game plan was clear from the opening tip:

Pack the paint, protect the rim, and dare San Antonio to win from the perimeter.

On paper, it worked.

The Spurs entered the night ranked 20th in the league in three-point percentage, and they played right into Boston’s hands early. San Antonio launched from deep, missed often, and finished the night just 6 for 27 from beyond the arc.

That should have been enough for Boston to build a real cushion.

It wasn’t.

The Celtics led by only five at halftime, never pushed the margin into comfortable territory, and allowed the Spurs to hang around long enough for defense and late execution to swing the game. San Antonio shot just 40% from the field overall, but Boston never capitalized on the inefficiency.

When you invite a team to miss, you still have to punish them for it.

Luke Kornet’s return to TD Garden had nothing to do with production, and everything to do with appreciation.

The former Celtics big man was met with warm chants during pregame introductions and received a tribute video late in the first quarter that brought the Garden crowd to its feet. It was a reminder of how beloved Kornet became during his time in Boston.

On the floor, though, it was a quiet night.

Kornet finished with 4 points and 6 rebounds in 24 minutes, largely doing the dirty work and staying out of the way of San Antonio’s stars. His presence didn’t swing the game, but the reaction he received showed the mark he left.

Jaylen Brown Unloads on Officials After Celtics’ 100–95 Loss to Spurs

Wembanyama Delivers Late as Celtics Lose 100-95 to Spurs

Anfernee Simons Keeps Complicating Boston’s Deadline Math

For a half, Boston executed its Victor Wembanyama plan nearly perfectly.

The Spurs’ phenom scored just 5 points in the first half, floating on the perimeter and rarely imposing his size. Boston stayed physical, stayed disciplined, and avoided giving him easy looks at the rim.

That changed after halftime.

Wembanyama began asserting himself in the third quarter, scoring 9 points in the period by simply being bigger than anyone guarding him. By the fourth, he was fully comfortable, picking his spots and delivering when San Antonio needed him most.

His go-ahead jumper over Neemias Queta with 1:33 remaining was the defining shot of the night. He finished with 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks - a quiet line that still felt decisive.

Boston held up well early.

But late, Wembanyama tilted the floor.

This was a rare night where Boston’s offense simply ran out of gas.

Jaylen Brown (27 points) and Derrick White (29 points) did almost everything they could, combining for 56 points while logging season-high minutes. But they didn’t get enough help.

Boston scored just 40 points in the second half and attempted only four free throws all night - a staggering number for an offense built on pressure and movement. San Antonio’s size disrupted pick-and-roll actions, took away clean looks inside, and forced Boston into tougher jumpers late in the clock.

With Payton Pritchard and Anfernee Simons struggling to find rhythm, the Celtics leaned too heavily on two players who simply didn’t have enough left to finish the job.

Good teams can survive one offensive lull.

Great teams find answers anyway.

The loss closed out a 2-2 homestand and sent the Celtics back on the road for a four-game trip starting Monday in Indiana. It also served as a reminder that even when the process is sound, execution late still decides outcomes.

Boston didn’t collapse.

They just didn’t close.

And in a tightly packed Eastern Conference race, those nights tend to linger a little longer than most.

Remember to join our CELTICS on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Celtics fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!

Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.