Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant dunks during the second half of a preseason game against the Boston Celtics last Friday. The Nets return today to the TD Garden for a holiday game that counts. (AP photo)

BOSTON (AP) — This time it counts.

They played each other in a meaningless preseason game a week ago, but this time the Brooklyn Nets visit the Boston Celtics in a 5 p.m. regular season game at TD Garden, part of the NBA’s Christmas Day extravaganza.

The two teams are coming off different season opening wins. The Nets routed Golden State in Brooklyn and the Celtics edged Milwaukee in a game that went down to the final seconds.

Boston went 48-24 overall and 9-6 in Atlantic Division games during the 2019-20 season. The Celtics averaged 8.3 steals, 5.6 blocks and 13.8 turnovers per game last season.

Brooklyn finished 35-37 overall and 23-23 in Eastern Conference games during the 2019-20 season. The Nets allowed opponents to score 112.3 points per game and shoot 44.6% from the field last season. But this year they have a healthy dynamic duo in Kevin Durant and former Celtic Kyrie Irving.

The matchup Friday is the first meeting of the season for the two teams.

The NBA would love to see the same drama that the Celtics and Buck provided on Wednesday night. Giannis Antetokounmpo couldn’t stop Jayson Tatum from knocking down a “tough, tough, tough” shot. Then the reigning MVP and defensive player of the year missed one of the easiest.

Tatum banked in a fallaway, go-ahead 3-pointer in the final second, and Antetokounmpo missed a potential tying free throw with 0.4 seconds left, allowing the Boston Celtics to escape with a 122-121 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks

“Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to be in that position,” said Tatum, who scored 30 points. “If it goes down or not, that’s what I work so hard for. You just want to be in that moment.”

Boston led 101-84 after three, but Antetokounmpo outscored the Celtics 10-2 over a two-minute span midway through the fourth to cut a 10-point Celtics lead to 109-107.

“We took a good hit and kept ticking,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said.

INJURIES: Celtics: Tacko Fall: out (eye), Romeo Langford: out (right wrist), Kemba Walker: out (left knee).

Nets: Nicolas Claxton: out (right knee).