NEW YORK — Jayson Tatum delivered an impressive performance, scoring 40 points as the Boston Celtics comfortably defeated the New York Knicks 131-104 on Saturday night. This victory marked the Celtics’ second win over the Knicks this season.
Payton Pritchard made a significant impact by contributing 25 points off the bench for Boston. The Celtics bounced back strongly from their recent loss to Dallas in an NBA Finals rematch, achieving their fifth win in six games and establishing a 2 1/2 game lead over the Knicks for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference standings.
Derrick White also made notable contributions with 17 points. Together with Tatum, they spearheaded a crucial 19-3 run in the third quarter that shifted the momentum of the game. Although the Knicks managed to cut their deficit to 70-67 at one point, the Celtics quickly extended the lead to 89-70 by the end of the run.
For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson was the standout player with 36 points. Unfortunately for them, this marked their second home loss in two weeks during nationally televised games, with Josh Hart chipping in an additional 17 points.
Takeaways from the game highlighted the Celtics’ reliance on Tatum, Pritchard, and White due to injuries to key players like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, who was sidelined shortly before the match due to illness. This trio collectively accounted for 17 of Boston’s 19 three-pointers. On the other hand, the Knicks, who aimed to bridge the gap with the Celtics through their offseason acquisitions, experienced another defeat that put them at a disadvantage against Boston, a team that has proven difficult for them to overcome.
A pivotal moment in the match came when the Knicks missed their first 10 shots while the Celtics established an early 12-2 lead. In the third quarter, Tatum and White scored a combined 33 points, whereas the entire Knicks squad managed only 28 points during that period.
Moving forward, the Celtics are set to face Miami on Monday night, while the Knicks will play against Indiana on Tuesday night.
