KEYPOINTS SUMMARY
- Knicks come back from 11-point halftime deficit to win Game 4
- Jalen Brunson drops 39 points and 12 assists in a heroic performance
- Celticsโ Jayson Tatum scores 42 before leaving late with leg injury
- Knicks take a 3-1 series lead and are now one win away from the Eastern Conference Finals
- MSG erupts with celebrities and fans losing their minds
- Celtics now face elimination and may be without their star in Game 5
- Game 5 heads to Boston, where the pressure is sky high
Game 4 Madness: A Night That Shook Madison Square Garden
What. A. Game.
The New York Knicks pulled off one of the most unbelievable playoff comebacks in recent memory, flipping a halftime deficit into a dominant second-half surge and stealing Game 4 from the Boston Celtics.
With 121-113 on the final scoreboard, it wasnโt just a winโit was a message.
And MSG? It exploded.
The Turning Point: Knicks Trailed Big at Halftime
Letโs set the stage:
Halftime score? Celtics 62, Knicks 51.
The Knicks looked flat. The Celtics were clicking.
Fans feared the worst. Celebrities in the crowdโSpike Lee, Dustin Hoffman, and moreโlooked tense. People outside MSG were already calling it a loss.
But what followed was basketball magic.
Third Quarter: Brunson Turns into a One-Man Army
Jalen Brunson didnโt just take overโhe dominated.
- Scored 18 of his 39 points in the third quarter
- Racked up 12 assists
- Controlled the gameโs rhythm, speed, and spirit
He willed the Knicks back into the game with clutch drives, smart passes, and dagger jumpers.
By the end of the quarter, the Knicks had outscored Boston 37-23, flipping the game on its head.
Supporting Cast Delivers When It Counts
Brunson didnโt do it alone.
- Mikal Bridges: 23 points, including key buckets in crunch time
- Karl-Anthony Towns: 23 points and 11 reboundsโhis most physical performance this series
- OG Anunoby: Rebounded from two bad games to drop 20 points and play lockdown defense
The energy, the intensity, the togethernessโit felt like the โ90s Knicks were reborn.
Tatum Goes Down: Celticsโ Nightmare Ending
Just when it looked like the Celtics might rally late, disaster struck.
With under three minutes left, Jayson Tatum went after a loose ballโฆ and collapsed.
It was a non-contact injuryโthe kind no athlete ever wants to see.
Grabbing his leg just above the ankle, he was visibly in pain and carried off the floor.
Reports say he was later seen in a wheelchair, leaving his status for Game 5 in serious doubt.
And just like that, Bostonโs hopes dimmed.
MSG ERUPTS: Knicks Fans Go Wild Inside and Out
Inside the Garden, 20,000 fans lost their minds.
Outside, an estimated 30,000 more packed the streets, watching on massive screens.
Some paid up to $54,000 for courtside seats. Others screamed from the sidewalks.
The roar after the final buzzer? Unforgettable.
โWeโre back. This is OUR house!โ yelled one fan in a Knicks jersey.
It felt like a city finally waking from a decades-long basketball slumber.
One Win Away from History
The Knicks havenโt been to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000.
Now, theyโre one win away.
They lead the series 3-1 and head to Boston for Game 5 with all the momentumโand all the pressure on the Celtics.
If they win Wednesday?
They clinch on the road.
If not?
They return to MSG Friday for a Game 6 that could become legendary.
Celtics in Trouble Without Tatum
Even with Tatum dropping 42 points before the injury, Boston couldnโt hold the lead.
Now, they may have to win three straight games without their superstar.
To make matters worse:
- Theyโve already blown two 20-point leads this series
- Their late-game execution has been shaky
- Confidence is slipping fast
Theyโll need a miracleโor a total team transformationโto come back from this.
Only 13 teams in NBA history have rallied from a 3-1 deficit.
And itโs never happened after a star injury this late in the series.
Whatโs Next: Game 5 Could Be a Knockout Blow
Game 5 Details:
- Location: TD Garden, Boston
- Date: Wednesday
- Tip-off: 7:30 PM ET
- National TV: ESPN
If Knicks win: They go to the East Finals.
If Celtics win: Game 6 is Friday night at MSG.
And If Game 7 is needed?
It happens Monday, May 19, back in Boston.
But to get there, Boston needs heart, health, and heroics.
Knicks vs Celtics Game 4 Is a Moment for the Ages
From 11 down to 8 upโฆ from silence to roars heard across Manhattanโฆ
Knicks vs Celtics Game 4 was a basketball masterpiece.
- Jalen Brunson played like a legend.
- Tatumโs injury changed everything.
- New York is on fire.
- Boston is on the ropes.
Now, all eyes turn to Game 5.
Can the Celtics bounce back without their superstar?
Will the Knicks finish the job on the road?
This series has had everythingโand itโs not done yet.
