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The Eastern Conference semifinal matchup between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks has delivered unexpected drama, late-game collapses, defensive heroics and two shocking results in Boston. Everyone and their mother believed the Celtics would be heading to New York up 2-0 and aiming to sweep a Knicks team they convincingly and repeatedly beat in the regular season.
The Knicks went 0-10 against the NBA’s three best teams, including the Celtics. After stealing both games at TD Garden to take a 2-0 series lead, all eyes now turn to Madison Square Garden for a pivotal Game 3 on Saturday afternoon – 3:30 PM ET on ABC.
Will the Celtics embrace this unfamiliar territory and step up with their backs against the wall? Or, will the Knicks take a commanding 3-0 series lead, continuing to play gritty defense, hitting clutch baskets and holding tight to the belief that has the Garden faithful dreaming of an unprecedented upset over the defending champs?
In Game 1, the Knicks pulled off a comeback for the ages. Down 20 points in the third quarter, New York stormed back behind Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby, each scoring 29 points. The Knicks outscored Boston 53-30 over the final 22 minutes, including overtime, to steal a 108-105 win. Kristaps Porziņģis missed the second half due to illness, and Sam Hauser exited with an ankle injury. Boston set a pair of playoff records, with 60 three-point attempts and 45 misses, highlighting their over-reliance on deep shots and lack of offensive balance late.
Game 2 followed a disturbingly similar script for Boston. Despite holding a 20-point lead again, the Celtics couldn’t close. Mikal Bridges, who was quiet most of the night, erupted for 14 fourth-quarter points. Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns played major roles, combining for 44 points, while Brunson added 17. Boston shot just 5-for-24 in the fourth quarter and 10-for-40 from deep for the game. Jayson Tatum struggled mightily, again, finishing with just 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting – his lowest scoring output of the entire season.
Once again, the Knicks made the critical plays down the stretch. Towns and Brunson stepped up their defensive intensity late, and Bridges came up with another game-sealing defensive stop, this time stripping Tatum in the closing seconds.
Now, Boston heads to MSG trailing and searching for answers.
While the Knicks’ defensive intensity and composure have been commendable, there’s still a case to be made that Boston has left the door wide open in both games, and that the Celtics are due. Through two games, they lost by a combined four points while shooting just 25% from three (25-of-100), WELL below their season average. Tatum is 12-of-42 from the field and 5-of-20 from deep. And yet, even with those numbers, Boston has been in a position to win both contests late.
A bounce-back performance feels imminent.
The Celtics were the NBA’s best three-point shooting team during the regular season and dismantled New York in three of their four meetings, including two wins at Madison Square Garden. In those games, Tatum averaged 36 points while shooting 50% from the field and 52% from three, adding six-plus rebounds and four-plus assists in each. He thrives in the spotlight, and Game 3 offers the perfect storm: the highest of stakes, an electric Garden crowd and a personal need to answer critics after two flat performances.
It’s also important to note that the Knicks went 1-2 at home against the Detroit Pistons in the first round, and are now 5-0 on the road in the postseason. Perhaps MSG’s environment creates more pressure than support for the home team.
Boston’s identity revolves around space, pace and perimeter firepower. Their three-point variance is a double-edged sword. If the Celtics shoot 32–35% from deep in Game 3, their offensive ceiling is significantly higher. That, combined with improved late-game execution and more paint touches to balance the shot profile, gives Boston a real shot to reclaim control.
For the Knicks, the key remains sticking with what’s worked: a tight rotation, physical defense and clutch shot-making. But they’ve also benefitted from Boston’s self-inflicted wounds. If those start to vanish, and history suggests they will, the Knicks’ margin for error shrinks. They’ve done an excellent job exploiting mismatches, and Bridges, Hart and Anunoby have all stepped up. Boston’s switch-heavy defense and size remain a problem if the Celtics clean up their rotations and limit dribble penetration.
One key subplot to monitor is Porziņģis’ health. The Celtics’ offensive spacing and rim protection suffer without him, and while he played limited minutes in Game 2, Boston needs him closer to full strength if they want to stretch the Knicks defense and regain their inside-out balance.
Ultimately, Game 3 comes down to urgency and adjustments. Boston’s season may not be on the line yet, but it’s getting close. The offense was disgusting to watch in the first two games, and this team is so much better than that. They need to review the tape and focus up, and we expect them to do so. We like Tatum to come out aggressive, the Celtics to refine their shot selection and Joe Mazzulla’s team to play with the desperation of a contender facing the brink.
After two uncharacteristic games, look for Tatum to respond on the road where he’s excelled all season. The Garden lights are bright, and so is the bounce-back spot.
Zach has been a published sports writer since 2018 specializing in college football & basketball, MLB and NFL content for multiple publications.