BOSTON — The Knicks are still alive for No.
The win, which included a 31-point lead in the third quarter, represented a third in a row for the Knicks (48-32) and fifth in six games.
The Celtics (62-18) were clearly playing at a reduced speed and intensity, having locked up home court through the playoffs.
The Knicks outscored Boston by 28 points with Brunson on the court.
And I want us to understand there’s a difference in the fourth quarter, and I want us to understand what it is to use good judgment in the fourth quarter.
Bojan Bogdanovic, finally finding a rhythm after a rough start to his Knicks tenure, added 14 points.
It was the first Knicks win over the Celtics in five tries this season, but Thursday was the first with OG Anunoby.
It was just the fourth time the Celtics lost at home this season.
Boston — The Knicks have a chance to win the No. 2.
With 39 points from Jalen Brunson, the team that was on a roll, easily defeated the NBA’s top team, thumping the Celtics 118-109 in Beantown.
OG Anunoby stated, “He should win MVP.”.
For the Knicks (48-32) it was their third consecutive victory and their fifth in their last six games. They took a 31-point lead into the third quarter.
They put some distance between themselves and the Bucks for second place with two games remaining. They will secure the third spot in the East with a victory over the miserable Nets on Friday.
Milwaukee would have to lose its final two games (at the Thunder and Magic) and the Knicks would have to win out (against the Nets and Bulls) because the Bucks own the tiebreaker.
Now that Giannis Antetokounmpo is sidelined for the remainder of the regular season due to a calf strain and Brunson is playing like a Jordan, anything seems possible.
The team led by Tom Thibodeau is at its best right now.
The blowout on Thursday was, however, a little deceptive.
The Celtics (62-18) were obviously playing with less urgency and energy because they had secured home court for the playoffs.
The Knicks had a competitive first quarter but took the lead with a 19-0 run in the second to take a 21-point lead into the half.
Over for the game.
Another masterwork by Brunson, the second half was a 24-minute coast.
The point guard, who was limited to 30 minutes due to the blowout, was one point away from becoming the only Knicks player to score 40 points or more in three straight games, along with Carmelo Anthony and Bernard King.
In addition to shooting 15 for 23, he had two turnovers, four assists, and a 6-for-11 3-point shooting percentage.
When Brunson was playing, the Knicks defeated Boston by a score of 28 points.
Thibodeau declared, “The numbers are astounding.”. “.
With a dominant game, Brunson defeated the Celtics. After the third quarter, with a 29-point deficit, Boston pulled out all of its reserves. Kristaps Porzingis (14 points), Jayson Tatum (15 points), and Jaylen Brown (15 points) all watched the rest of the game from couches.
“It’s evident that they’re the best dog in the East,” Brunson remarked. It’s always a good idea to evaluate your performance whenever you play against them. We obviously had a decent game tonight. However, their potential is well known to us. Only tonight did we get their number. But we are aware that we have a lot on our plate if it gets to the point where we have to play them again. “.
Even Thibodeau rested the majority of his starters during the fourth quarter, but he appeared restless as the Celtics attempted a comeback to trim the deficit to single digits. Subsequently, during his press conference following the game, he expressed his displeasure by criticizing the team for allowing a huge lead to turn uncertain.
“You were supposed to play for 48 minutes, and we didn’t,” the coach remarked. “I refuse to witness the same errors being made repeatedly. I also want us to know that the fourth quarter is different and that it’s important to use sound judgment during this time. Because you’re basing your rotation on those factors, those are the ones you assess. In essence, this is how you assess a player when you ask, “How do you evaluate a player?”. “.
In spite of the late drama, the Knicks won. Josh Hart scored 16 points while grabbing 16 rebounds. Bojan Bogdanovic added 14 points as he began to settle into a groove after a difficult start to his Knicks career.
Thursday’s victory over the Celtics was the first the Knicks had enjoyed in five attempts this season, but it was also the first under OG Anunoby.
The defensive pillar scored 12 points in 26 minutes and assisted in stopping Boston’s forwards.
This season, the Celtics have only dropped games at home four times. After an eight-night, 3-1 road trip, the Knicks eventually returned home.
