After a poor performance to begin the 2026-27 season, former Duke forward and current Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum had a monster game against the New York Knicks, propelling his team to their first victory of the early season.

After scoring 13 points on 26.1% shooting from the field against the Detroit Pistons, Tatum had everything working for him Friday night, tallying 36 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Tatum's performance included nine points within the final four minutes of the game, as the Celtics held off the Knicks 107-103.

Other notable Blue Devils to lead their respective teams Friday night included former college teammates Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett. Barrett posted 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists, one steal and zero turnovers for the Raptors as Toronto took down the Washington Wizards. Williamson, on the other hand, finished with 23 points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals as the Pelicans suffered a narrow one-point defeat to the Utah Jazz.