The Knicks walked into Boston and stole Game 1. The way they did it? That’s what will be remembered.
New York came back from 20 points down, locked in on both ends when it mattered, and watched the Celtics crumble under the weight of 45 missed three-pointers—a new playoff record. The final score: 108–105, Knicks in overtime.
Celtics Collapse as Knicks Rally Late
Midway through the third quarter, the Celtics led 72–52. TD Garden was buzzing, and Boston looked poised to cruise to a 1–0 series lead. Then the shots stopped falling. And falling. And falling.
Boston went 3-of-28 from deep to end the game, and they weren’t exactly contested, either. Per ESPN tracking, 45 of Boston’s 60 three-point attempts were classified as “uncontested.” They missed 32 of them.
“Some of ’em felt good, some of ’em felt like we maybe forced the issue,” Jaylen Brown said postgame. “Definitely our rhythm and our timing was a little bit off.” — via ESPN
OG, JB, and Mikal Close the Door
Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby each dropped 29 points, but it was Mikal Bridges who had the final say—ripping the ball from Brown on a last-second inbound to preserve the win.
Anunoby was everywhere: deflections, breakaways, dagger threes. He hit six triples, including the game’s biggest one to put New York up 100–98 late in regulation. And Brunson? Just another clutch fourth quarter, highlighted by back-to-back threes to give New York its first lead since the second quarter.
“In those moments when the other team got momentum you can’t just fire up 3s to break it,” Brown admitted. “You got to get to the free throw line, get to the paint, get to the basket… then maybe the next 3-pointer feels a little bit better.” — via ESPN
Celtics’ Hot Start Fizzles Fast
Jayson Tatum had 13 points in the first quarter. He hunted matchups against Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson early, drawing fouls and getting downhill.
But that approach disappeared. Tatum finished with 23 points on 26 shots and went just 4-of-15 from three, falling into the same rhythm-draining trap that sunk the Celtics down the stretch.
“Obviously in hindsight, if we could go back, we’d probably drive the ball a little bit more,” Tatum said. “You can always go back and see what you should have done differently.” — via ESPN
Celtics Set Historic Mark—For the Wrong Reason
No team in NBA playoff history had ever taken 60 three-pointers before. The Celtics not only did it—they missed 45 of them, a postseason record.
That might sound like Mazzulla Ball to some, but even head coach Joe Mazzulla conceded they overdid it:
“There were probably eight to 10 shots that could be better for sure.” — via ESPN
Boston’s 20-point lead vanished as New York clawed back possession by possession. The Knicks hit 17 threes on 37 attempts—just two more makes, but on 23 fewer shots.
Game 2 Looms
It’s only one game. But this was a gut punch.
The Celtics will regroup for Game 2, hoping Kristaps Porzingis can shake off the illness that limited him to just 13 minutes. They’ll also have to reckon with a Knicks team that’s no longer afraid—and with a home crowd that just watched a 20-point lead slip away.
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