Brunson Shines Late, Struggles Early in Knicks-Celtics Series
Jalen Brunson has consistently found his rhythm in the fourth quarter throughout this Eastern Conference semi-final series. However, he tends to have difficulties in the earlier periods. This pattern continued as the Knicks managed to cut the series lead in half with a 115-93 victory against the Celtics in Game 3.
Brunson led the team with 27 points, scoring eight of those during the final 12 minutes of the game. In Game 2, he contributed nine points in the last four minutes, including a crucial free throw that secured the win with 12.7 seconds left. He also netted 11 points in the fourth quarter of the opener.
Across the first three quarters of all three games, Brunson shot just 36.5% from the field. When looking at the series overall, his shooting percentage is slightly better at 38.1%, though down from his 43.6% against the Pistons in the first round. Interestingly, this dip hasn’t seemed to dent his confidence.
“I just try to take my shots and stick to my game, staying confident—that’s really important,” Brunson said. “I trust what I’m doing. It’s pretty much there.”
The Knicks have faced challenges with rebounding in the postseason, losing the rebound battle in six out of their nine games. They did out-rebound the Celtics on Saturday, but Boston secured 12 offensive boards, translating that into 18 second-chance points.
Meanwhile, Celtics forward Sam Hauser, who has been dealing with a right ankle sprain, missed Game 2 and remains sidelined. In place of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford had an impressive performance, scoring 15 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and blocking two shots in 35 minutes.
The Celtics improved to an impressive 3-1 on the road during the playoffs, showcasing their strength with a top record of 33-8 while playing away from home in the regular season.
