New York – The New York Knicks, fueled by a standout performance from Jalen Brunson, secured a crucial victory over the Boston Celtics with a score of 121-113 this Monday. This result not only puts the Celtics on the brink of elimination in the Eastern Conference semifinals (3-1), but also cost them the injury of their star, Jayson Tatum.
Tatum, who had performed exceptionally with 42 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals, suffered an injury to his right leg in the final minutes of the game. He had to leave the court with assistance and unable to put weight on the affected leg.
The Celtics, the current NBA champions, once held a 14-point lead in the third quarter. Now they face the challenge of overcoming a 3-1 deficit in the series, a task that, while not impossible, represents a significant feat, as it has only been achieved on a limited number of occasions.
The fifth game of the series will be played this Wednesday in Boston, and if necessary, the sixth game would be played on Friday in New York.
Brunson was the key player for the Knicks, accumulating 39 points, 5 rebounds, and 12 assists. His stellar performance included 18 points in the third quarter.
Other players who shone were Mikal Bridges, with 23 points and 7 rebounds, the Dominican Karl-Anthony Towns, with 23 points and 11 rebounds, and OG Anunoby, with 20 points.
The Knicks haven’t reached a conference final since the 1999-2000 season, and their last Finals appearance was in the 1998-1999 campaign. Their only two championships date back to the 1969-1970 and 1972-1973 seasons.
On the Celtics’ side, Tatum did not have the support of Jaylen Brown, who had a performance below expectations with 20 points and 7 rebounds. Derrick White contributed 23 points.
The Celtics experienced a decrease in their three-point shooting effectiveness, going from 12 of 24 in the first half to 6 of 24 in the second.
The atmosphere in Madison Square Garden was electrifying, with the presence of celebrities like Bad Bunny.
