Mitchell Robinson spent years trying to stop Jayson Tatum. Now that he is on the same side, the Boston Celtics big man is still in awe of what he can do. Tatum poured in a game-high 36 points, including a dazzling late flurry, as the Celtics held off Robinson’s former team, the New York Knicks, 107-103 on Friday night at TD Garden.

After the game, Robinson admitted watching Tatum take over from up close was a whole different experience.

“I’ve seen JT do that when we played against him a couple times,” Robinson said. “To be on the same side as it, and just witness that like being on his team, just it was mind-blowing.”

Mitchell Robinson on Jayson Tatum’s takeover:

“I've seen JT do that when we played against him a couple times… To be on the same side as it, and just witness that like being on his team, just it was mind-blowing.” pic.twitter.com/nT8EwWLRVi

— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) October 24, 2026

Robinson spent his entire career in New York before signing with Boston this offseason. He was the lone member of the Knicks’ championship rotation not to return to the defending champs, adding another layer to Friday’s matchup.

Tatum made sure his new teammate left happy. The Celtics star scored 25 of his points after halftime and took control when the Knicks threatened. New York used a 12-3 run to trim a 12-point deficit to three, and Jalen Brunson later cut it to 99-98 with 1:41 remaining.

That is when Tatum went to work. He hit a turnaround jumper over Josh Hart, followed it with a long fallaway over Hart again and buried a three-pointer in the final minute to seal it. In all, Tatum scored seven of Boston’s final eight points.

Paul George and Neemias Queta each added 15 points for the Celtics.

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Robinson’s own night was a quiet one. Early foul trouble limited him to four points, four rebounds and a block in just over 22 minutes. Still, he made his mark in the fourth quarter, swatting a Karl-Anthony Towns layup and finishing an alley-oop from Derrick White.

Towns led New York with 22 points, while OG Anunoby filled the stat sheet with 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Deuce McBride added 20 off the bench, and Brunson chipped in 19.

The loss dropped the Knicks to 0-2 after their ring night defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers. Boston, meanwhile, evened its record at 1-1.

The Celtics will look to build on the win when they host the Chicago Bulls on Monday.