The New York Knicks pulled off an impressive comeback, again overcoming a 20-point deficit, this time in Game 2 against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Following a thrilling finish, the Knicks secured a narrow 91-90 victory, taking advantage of the Celtics’ frigid shooting in the fourth quarter.
With the series now shifting to New York this weekend, the Knicks have seized the lead in the Best of Seven series, which is quite unexpected.
It’s remarkable how the Celtics failed to find the hoop for over eight minutes in the fourth quarter, having only made a single shot before that. Despite getting some open looks, nothing seemed to drop for them.
On the Knicks’ side, Mikal Bridges played a crucial role, scoring 14 points in the final quarter to aid the comeback. Jalen Brunson’s stepback jumper gave the Knicks their first lead since the game’s opening moments.
With just two minutes left, the Knicks led 87-86, and both teams knew it was going to be a nail-biting finish. A clutch dunk by Jason Tatum provided the Celtics with a fleeting 90-89 advantage, but Brunson was fouled soon after and nailed both free throws, pushing the Knicks back into the lead.
As Tatum attempted to drive past multiple defenders, Bridges managed to intercept Tatum’s shot attempt, securing the win. This wasn’t the first time Bridges made a critical defensive play in this series; he had previously turned a pass from Jalen Brown into a decisive moment in Game 1.
Despite the Knicks’ victory, their offensive game was somewhat subpar. Brunson, generally more productive, only put up 17 points on less than 32% shooting as the team as a whole made 43% of their shots, with 29% from three-point range.
Conversely, the Celtics had another challenging night offensively, hitting only 10 of 40 attempts from beyond the arc. They missed 45 threes in Game 1 and added another 30 to that total, leading to a shooting percentage of just 36.2% from the field.
Game 3 is set for Saturday at Madison Square Garden, with the tip-off scheduled for 3:30 PM ET.
