Another night, another 20-point comeback. The Celtics vs Knicks saga just got spicier, with New York pulling off back-to-back Houdini acts to grab a 2–0 series lead in the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals.
Down 20. Again.
And somehow… the Knicks vs Celtics scoreboard flipped—again.
Déjà Vu in Boston
The Boston Celtics came out hot at TD Garden, dominating early with a 16–4 burst and suffocating the Knicks offence for nearly five straight minutes. With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the charge, the Celtics built a 20-point cushion in the third quarter. Job done, right?
Not quite.
Just like Game 1, the Knicks flipped the switch in the fourth.
New York’s Fourth-Quarter Fire
With less than 12 minutes on the clock, the Knicks launched into a 21–4 run. Boston’s offence? Nowhere to be found. They missed 12 straight shots and went more than eight minutes without a bucket. The crowd went from roaring to rattled.
Then came the dagger:
- Jalen Brunson coolly drained two clutch free throws
- Mikal Bridges blocked Tatum at the buzzer
- And just like that, 91–90 to the Knicks.
Bridges’ Buzzer-Beating Block
With the game on the line and Boston refusing to use a timeout, Tatum got the ball in the corner… only to be swatted by Bridges as time expired. A gutsy defensive stand that silenced the Garden and stunned Celtics fans everywhere.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau kept it simple:
“We fight. That’s who we are.”
History Made
This isn’t just playoff drama—it’s NBA history. The Knicks are now the first team ever to claw back from 20 points down in back-to-back playoff games. For context, the Celtics blew just one such lead all season.
Box Score Highlights
- Knicks:
- Josh Hart: 23 pts
- Karl-Anthony Towns: 21 pts, 17 reb
- Mikal Bridges: 14 pts (all in Q4), 8 reb, 5 ast
- Celtics:
- Derrick White: 20 pts, 9 reb
- Jaylen Brown: 20 pts
- Jayson Tatum: 13 pts, 14 reb
- Team 3PT: 10-of-40 (25%)
Let’s not forget—Boston set an NBA playoff record with 45 missed threes in Game 1. Game 2 wasn’t much better.
What’s Next?
Game 3 tips off this Saturday (Sunday NZT) at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks will look to push the defending champs to the brink. Can Boston regroup? Or will the Big Apple deliver another sting?
Either way, this Celtics vs Knicks series has officially gone from playoff battle to basketball theatre.
