With the playoffs on the horizon, the Boston Celtics are all however sure to complete because the second seed within the Jap Convention playoffs. However whereas their Tuesday night time showdown on the highway towards the New York Knicks didn’t essentially include many sensible stakes, they took the court docket at Madison Sq. Backyard with an opportunity to place themselves within the historical past books. Using an eight-game successful streak on the highway, wins towards the Knicks and the Orlando Magic on Tuesday and Wednesday night time would tie the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors for probably the most highway wins in a single season in NBA historical past. Although it got here all the way down to the ultimate moments of extra time, the Celtics triumphed over the Knicks — recording a 4-0 season sweep over New York within the course of — and saved themselves alive for a share of the document, successful 119-117.
Jayson Tatum was wonderful from wire-to-wire tonight, scoring 32 factors — together with the three-pointer that despatched the sport to extra time — whereas grabbing seven rebounds, dishing 5 assists and recording two shares. Kristaps Porzingis surged within the second half so as to add 34 factors and eight made threes, however Jaylen Brown struggled to play via a knee damage, recording simply six factors on 2-of-8 capturing in 22 minutes performed. For the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Cities scored 34 factors and grabbed 14 rebounds, whereas Jalen Brunson added 27 factors and 9 assists.
Cities has struggled in his matchups towards the Celtics this season, however early in tonight’s matchup, that development appeared to reverse. The Knicks went to their star heart early and sometimes, and he responded by connecting on a three-pointer and placing his stamp on the paint, compiling 12 factors within the first quarter. Brunson added 10 factors of his personal, however the Celtics’ superior depth — and 11 from Tatum — helped preserve the sport shut, and the Celtics trailed by simply three factors heading into the second quarter, 30-27.
Taking part in via a knee damage, the primary half appeared notably tough for Brown. His mobility gave the impression to be considerably restricted, and he struggled on each ends within the early going. Within the second quarter, he missed badly on consecutive three-pointers earlier than plowing right into a Knicks defender for an apparent cost, giving him extra private fouls (3) than factors scored (2) in his first 12 minutes of sport motion. Every of these figures would every stay his totals coming into the halftime break.
Upon his return to the sport, Cities continued his barrage towards the Boston protection. He pushed his game-leading level whole to 22 within the first half of the night time, and the New York lead pushed as excessive as 10 factors as quarter wore on. The Celtics continued to battle, although, together with a trio of made threes from Porzingis, who in any other case struggled within the early going this night. Boston prevented the Knicks from pushing the sport into blowout territory, and the groups entered halftime separated by simply six factors, with New York forward 58-52.
The Celtics kicked off the third in assertive style, rattling off an 8-0 run within the first minute and a half to shortly reclaim the lead behind Porzingis’ fourth triple of the night, prompting an early Tom Thibodeau timeout. The Latvian heart was the tip of the spear for Boston’s resurgent effort, exploding for 13 factors within the third quarter to take over the sport lead in scoring. His effort helped the Celtics flip the whole script of the sport, and after Tatum beat the buzzer with a fadeaway jumper, Boston entered the ultimate body with an 83-78 lead.
The Knicks didn’t intend to go quietly. Within the early minutes of the fourth quarter, heart Mitchell Robinson recorded a powerful block on Tatum in a one-on-one scenario, which led to a triple from Cameron Payne on the opposite finish. A pair possessions later, although, Robinson tripped over a fallen Celtics participant and got here up favoring his knee — a worrying signal for a Knicks staff that values his defensive affect. Robinson departed the sport and didn’t return.
With eight minutes remaining in regulation and the Celtics main by six, Cities drove for a dunk however the try was stuffed by the rim. Porzingis was whistled for the foul on the play, prompting a direct problem from Joe Mazzulla. Upon overview, the problem was profitable and the Celtics retained their timeout (although it was their final problem of the night time), however after a turnover by White, the Knicks reduce the result in three on a triple by Mikal Bridges. Tatum answered with a 3 of his personal, however Cities returned with an and-one bucket, and Boston’s lead sat at three factors with slightly below seven minutes to play in regulation.
The Celtics fended off New York for the following jiffy, however the Knicks ever so barely clawed away on the lead. A midrange jumper from Brunson introduced New York inside one level of the lead, and a two from OG Anunoby on their subsequent possession gave them the lead as soon as once more — a 10-2 Knicks run. White launched the ball out of bounds on the Celtics’ subsequent offensive possession, and one other Bridges jumper abruptly gave New York a three-point lead with simply 50 seconds remaining within the sport.
Cities gave the Celtics a jolt with a pricey mistake, fouling Tatum behind the three-point line and granting him three free throw makes an attempt and the prospect to tie the sport. Tatum transformed solely two of three, nevertheless, however with 35 seconds remaining, the sport clock might theoretically give the Celtics the sport’s ultimate shot try. After a Thibodeau timeout, Hart transformed a layup to place New York forward by three with 11 seconds to play.
Then, it was time for Tatum. Needing a three-pointer, Mazzulla opted to not use one among his two remaining timeouts, and Tatum rewarded him by bringing the ball up court docket and drilling a clutch pull-up three to tie the sport at 107 factors apiece with three seconds remaining. New York’s Josh Hart was capable of finding a high quality look on a pull-up three-pointer on the ultimate possession of regulation, however the shot didn’t discover the underside of the online, and the sport proceeded to extra time.
Additional time was a slugfest early on, with over a minute and a half passing earlier than Sam Hauser recorded the additional interval’s first factors, a layup with 3:35 on the sport clock. Tatum and Cities traded splits on the free throw line, every connecting on 1-of-2, earlier than Cities tied the sport on a quick break with simply over two minutes left. A sequence of traded buckets later, and the groups discovered themselves in a 112-all tie with slightly below two minutes remaining to play.
Persevering with his second half surge, Porzingis offered the game-defining sequence towards his former staff because the clock ticked underneath a minute remaining in extra time. He linked on a mammoth 30-foot three-pointer with 40 seconds left to place the Celtics forward by three, then defended Brunson on the perimeter on the following possession and compelled a missed shot from deep. The Knicks retained the ball on an out-of-bounds name, however Bridges couldn’t deal with a go from Cities on their ensuing possession, handing the ball again to the Celtics with simply 12 seconds to play. Hart fouled out placing Jrue Vacation on the road with an intentional foul, and Vacation’s two made free throws put the sport on ice for the Celtics.
Subsequent up, the Celtics will eye the common season highway win document, touring to Orlando to face the Magic in Recreation #79, tomorrow at 7 PM EST on NBC Sports activities Boston.
