The New York Knicks have taken a significant step in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, pulling ahead of the Boston Celtics with a 3-1 series lead after a thrilling game on Monday night. They found themselves down by 14 points with just nine minutes left in the third quarter, but managed an impressive comeback, finishing that quarter with a 30-13 run.
As the fourth quarter progressed, despite both teams exchanging some intense plays, the Knicks ultimately secured a 121-113 victory. The Celtics briefly took a 99-98 lead when Jason Tatum hit a remarkable three-pointer, bringing his total to 42 points for the night. It was a solid moment, but the Knicks quickly rebounded with an 18-5 surge in the next five minutes.
However, things took a troubling turn for the Celtics when Tatum seemed to suffer a serious non-contact injury while chasing a loose ball. He called a timeout for himself and was escorted off the court, visibly upset and covering his face with a towel in the locker room.
Now, with the series at 3-1, the injury adds to the Knicks’ advantage. In what was a standout performance, four Knicks players scored 20 points or more, led by Jalen Brunson with 39 points.
Game 5 is set to return to Boston, where the Knicks had previously won the first two games of the series. A win there would mark the Knicks’ return to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in over two decades.
As the Celtics find themselves needing to stage a comeback from a 3-1 deficit, history isn’t on their side; no team has achieved such a feat since Denver in 2020. It’s going to be quite the challenge for them if they want to keep their title hopes alive.
