In a season that has seen them construct an distinctive lead over the remainder of the league for the very best document within the NBA, the Boston Celtics entered Saturday night time’s excessive profile showdown with the New York Knicks within the midst of their longest win streak of the season. Although the primary half was a tight-knit affair, the Celtics broke unfastened within the second, and their win streak superior to eight video games on the power of a 116-102 win.
Jaylen Brown had a giant night time, main the Celtics with 30 factors on an evening the place Jayson Tatum (19 factors, 7-of-15 capturing) took a step again to let his teammates shine. All 5 of Boston’s begins scoring in double figures, together with Al Horford off the bench, and the workforce shot a blistering 58% from the sphere and 43% from three, overwhelming the injury-diminished Knicks. Star guard Jalen Brunson gave an admirable effort, scoring 34 factors and dishing 9 assists, however the Knicks had just one different participant rating in double figures (Josh Hart, 16) whereas the sport was nonetheless aggressive. They only didn’t have the firepower to maintain up.
It was obvious from the get-go that New York’s probabilities have been going to be channeled via Brunson. With the continued absence of Julius Randle (shoulder) and OG Anunoby (elbow), the Knicks wanted each level Brunson may get them, they usually spammed pick-and-rolls with him early. Brunson racked up 13 first-quarter factors, the one Knick to aim greater than two photographs in addition to Alec Burks (3 FGA), protecting New York within the sport nearly single-handedly via his 1-on-1 play. Brown countered with 10 factors of his personal, and the Celtics led by 4 after the primary quarter, 30-26.
Notably, this was a quiet first half for Tatum. He tried simply two photographs within the opening quarter of the sport, and adopted it up with simply three extra within the second body, totaling simply seven factors. It felt like one other information level within the ongoing debate relating to Tatum’s supporting solid and the way it influences his candidacy for MVP. However, from the Celtics’ perspective, their franchise participant’s willingness to take a backseat when known as for stays a profit. Brown was cooking and the position gamers have been taking part in effectively; it by no means felt as if the Celtics have been in want of a Tatum takeover within the first half.
The 2 groups remained deadlocked via a lot of the second quarter. Brunson’s output slowed, as he sat a lot of the quarter after taking part in the whole lot of the primary, however the Knicks maintained tempo behind a robust efficiency from their new-look bench. Brown, nonetheless, continued to pile on factors at a hyper-efficient fee. He pushed his scoring whole to a game-high 20 (9-of-11 capturing), and the 2 groups scored 32 factors apiece to keep up the four-point hole on the half, 62-58.
The duel between Brown and Brunson continued into the second half, as duo continued to helm their respective offenses within the third quarter. By the halfway level of the body, they tied one another for the game-high in scoring at 25 factors. The distinction, nonetheless, was Boston’s supporting solid. Tatum stepped up his exercise degree, and the beginning lineup supplied a balanced effort — all 5 starters scored within the double-digits tonight, and 5 Celtics made two or extra threes — and the sport began to skew within the Celtics’ favor. Their lead stretched as excessive as 20 within the third quarter, they usually entered the fourth forward 97-84.
The truth that the sport sat at only a 13-point deficit getting into the fourth felt like a win for the Knicks, contemplating that it got here regardless of a Boston offense that had shot 65% from the sphere and 52% from three up via that time. The Knicks had weathered the storm and given themselves a combating probability within the closing quarter, in no small half on account of an enormous disparity in offensive rebounds (12 for New York, 3 for Boston). They imposed a bodily benefit on the sport, and mixed with Brunson’s continued brilliance — he eclipsed the 30-point threshold within the third — the Celtics nonetheless had some work to do to shut this sport out within the fourth quarter.
Certainly, the Knicks managed to trim the Celtics’ lead again right down to single-digits early within the closing quarter, as a two-pointer from Bojan Bogdanovic introduced them inside 9. Maybe paradoxically, although, the offensive glass lastly benefitted the Celtics in a pivotal second. They fought for a possession that noticed a outstanding 5 shot makes an attempt and ended on a tip-in from Horford to push the Celtics again forward by 11. It was the sequence that seemingly outlined this sport. Tatum and Brown transformed on layups on Boston’s subsequent two possessions, and all of the sudden, they have been on a run. Seemingly throughout the blink of a watch, the Celtics have been again forward by 17, and the Knicks by no means meaningfully challenged once more.
Subsequent up, the Celtics roll ahead with their stretch run schedule, internet hosting the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday at 7:30 PM EST on TNT.
