NEW YORK CITY — Underneath the brilliant lights of Madison Sq. Backyard, and with nothing at stake however an unwavering aggressive spirit, the Celtics received their ninth straight street sport, a 119-117 time beyond regulation thriller over the New York Knicks.
The Celtics rolled out their common beginning lineup regardless of six gamers being listed on the damage report and noticed everybody swimsuit up besides Al Horford, who was dominated out with a knee sprain the day prior.
Jayson Tatum (32 factors, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) and Kristaps Porzingis (34 factors on 8-13 from three) each hit clutch threes down the stretch to safe the victory, Tatum’s coming on the finish of regulation and Porzingis’s on the finish of time beyond regulation.
And, based mostly on how they battled down the stretch, you’d by no means guess that the standings had been solidified and the Celtics had been locked into No. 2 within the East no matter Tuesday’s consequence.
“We nonetheless obtained some issues we will work on, and going on the market competing on a stage like this, what else would you relatively do?” Derrick White stated. “We’re on the market and we’re within the sport — would possibly as effectively go and attempt to get a win.”
Right here’s what stood out from on the bottom in Madison Sq. Backyard.
Jayson Tatum continues to ascertain himself as one of many NBA’s all-time clutch gamers
Jayson Tatum is traditionally clutch — a minimum of, that’s what the numbers say.
Since shot monitoring started in 1997, 65 NBA gamers have taken a minimum of 50 photographs to tie or take the lead within the final 24 seconds of the fourth quarter or time beyond regulation. Tatum has the third-best subject objective share in such a situation, capturing 36.8% on 57 makes an attempt.
In opposition to the Knicks, Tatum added one other massive crunch-time shot to his resume, hitting a pull-up three over OG Anunoby with 2.9 seconds left in regulation to tie the sport.
The three-pointer got here a possession after Tatum was fouled on a 3 by Karl Anthony-Cities and hit two of three free throws.
He bounced again shortly from the miss.
“Subsequent play,” Tatum stated of his mindset. “Shit occurs. I wished to make all three however missed it; they got here and made a shot. I used to be simply making an attempt to make up for it, make a play. And, I did.”
Finally, the Celtics’ main scorer scored 12 of the staff’s ultimate 16 factors of regulation.
Kristaps Porzingis catches hearth from (actually) deep
Kristaps Porzingis nailed 8 of 13 three-point makes an attempt within the win, tying his career-high.
However he couldn’t have seen the three-point onslaught coming.
“This morning in shootaround and pregame, my shot was manner off, however that’s the way it works out lots of occasions,” Porzingis stated. “As soon as I noticed the ball getting in, I simply let it fly with out pondering, and it was a great night time.”
The largest three of the night time got here with the rating tied with 41 seconds to play in regulation, all the way in which from the brand. Porzingis laughed as he recalled his determination to shoot such a deep three with 7 seconds remaining on the shot clock.
“The ball rolled to me, and I stated that is future,” Porzingis stated with a smile,
This season, Porzingis is capturing a career-best 41.6% from three regardless of capturing the deepest threes of his profession and having one of many longest three-point shoot distance averages within the league.
Porzingis stated earlier in his profession, he explored shifting in his three-point shot somewhat bit nearer, however he discovered that it didn’t make him extra environment friendly.
“I’ve tried to see if my effectivity goes up once I get nearer to the three-point line, however it actually doesn’t,” Porzingis stated. “I’m simply snug capturing somewhat bit out, and it helps our offense, stretching the protection out extra. So if my effectivity doesn’t change, I’ll take these deeper ones, and possibly it’s a consolation factor — realizing the defender received’t be capable to get there for an honest contest. I take my time and let it fly.”
His teammates proceed to be in awe of how he might help them on the ground.
“KP is unbelievable,” Derrick White stated. “He missed a pair early after which simply saved capturing from additional and additional away.”
Nobody cares in regards to the Celtics’ season sweep of the Knicks
With the time beyond regulation win, the Celtics have received all 4 of their video games in opposition to the Knicks, outscoring New York by 65 factors within the season sweep and capturing 44% from three.
However, nobody on the Celtics is taking a lot away from the common season outcomes.
“It means nothing,” Joe Mazzulla stated. “If something, it’s extra harmful for us, pondering one, that we’re going to get to the second spherical — we might not get there. You must give up to that.”
“There’s a lot that should occur earlier than that. Should you don’t deal with what you’ve achieved in opposition to any individual else, then that would truly be extra detrimental to you psychologically.”
Derrick White sounded similar to his head coach when requested in regards to the staff’s dominance over New York this season.
“It means completely nothing,” he stated.
Jaylen Brown sits your complete fourth quarter and time beyond regulation
Jaylen Brown struggled within the win as he continues to battle a knee damage, ending with 6 factors on 2-8 capturing, 1 help, 3 turnovers, and 5 rebounds.
Brown, who has been on a minutes restriction that’s saved him beneath half-hour an evening since March fifteenth, performed simply 21 minutes, sitting out your complete fourth quarter and time beyond regulation.
Mazzulla didn’t go into a lot element when requested about his determination to not play Brown within the ultimate 17 minutes of the sport, stating: “We simply obtained what we wanted to get out of him as he continues to push himself and check himself. We nonetheless have video games left, and so we simply obtained what we wanted to get, what we wanted to see.”
Porzingis, in the meantime, recommended that there may not be worth in Brown pushing by the ache throughout the residence stretch of the common season.
“He’s a troublesome dude,” he stated. “He all the time preaches his warrior mindset. He lives by it. However to what extent we want that proper now? Possibly he must handle it and ensure he’s going to be prepared for an important second.”
On the sidelines, Brown remained engaged the remainder of the way in which, however by no means checked again into the sport. He’s missed 8 video games because the All-Star break coping with the knee damage, which the staff has formally communicated as a “bone bruise with posterior impingement in his proper knee” which he has principally continued to play by.
Doesn’t seem like Jaylen Brown will play within the fourth — he’s performed 21 minutes tonight
He’s in good spirits & clapping up the huddle with 3 minutes to play pic.twitter.com/4AqeI2GjrK
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) April 9, 2025
The Celtics are one win away from the NBA all-time street file
With the win, the Celtics have a league-best 33-7 file on the street. A victory on Wednesday in Orlando would tie them with the 2015-16 Warriors for the most effective all-time street file.
However, Mazzulla stated after the win in opposition to the Knicks that he wasn’t even conscious of the accolade. And, at shootaround Tuesday morning, Payton Pritchard equally rejected the notion that the file was one thing the Celtics had been going for.
“You possibly can have that and never win the championship, and no person remembers,” Pritchard stated.
Nonetheless, as winners of 17 of their final 18 video games outdoors of TD Backyard, it’s plain that the Celtics have merely been particular on the street. They presently have the second-best street scoring differential in NBA historical past, outscoring opponents by 10.15 factors per sport. Solely the 1972 Lakers, who outscored opponents by 11.32 factors en path to an NBA championship, completed the season with a greater street differential.
“I feel simply because the season went on, it was simply an identification that the fellows have developed,” Mazzulla stated. “We’ve got to have the ability to win massive video games and shut video games and hard video games regardless, however that’s simply sort of a small piece of an identification that this explicit staff has taken on.”
