Losing by 38 points in an elimination game accelerates the process of assimilating the loss. The Boston Celtics, after their game at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, accepted their fate.
A resounding 119-82 victory over the New York Knicks ended the Eastern Conference semi-final series in six games, marking the end of the Celtics’ reign as NBA champions.
“Finishing in May is strange, it’s definitely not something we were prepared for,” commented Jaylen Brown, Celtics star, who was ejected before the end of the third quarter after scoring 20 points but with seven turnovers. “Things didn’t go as we wanted this year, and it’s unfortunate. But we keep our heads up. Losing to the Knicks feels like a death. But I was always taught that there is life after death, so we will prepare for what comes down the road.”
Jaylen Brown
Despite their Game 5 victory, which forced a return to New York and the hope of a comeback, the Celtics were never the same after the injury of their teammate Jayson Tatum, who suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in Game 4.
After watching the Knicks come back from 20 points on two occasions to steal Games 1 and 2 in Boston, and the total domination in Game 6, the Celtics prepared to congratulate their rival.
“We’re facing a great team. You have to tip your hat to the Knicks,” said Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. “They outplayed us. They played better.”
Joe Mazzulla
The Knicks led from start to finish, reaching a lead of up to 41 points. New York showed tremendous defensive energy, limiting the Celtics to 33% field goal shooting in the first half, setting the tone for the game.
Mazzulla modified his starting lineup for the fourth time in six games, including Luke Kornet as the starting center, the hero of Game 5. However, the Knicks didn’t let Kornet affect them and dominated the interior game, outscoring the Celtics in points in the paint (48-34), second-chance points (25-11), and rebounds (55-36).
In addition to Tatum’s absence, the Celtics did not have the best performance from Kristaps Porzingis, who played 12 minutes off the bench. Porzingis, key against the Knicks in the regular season, averaged 25 points with 50% shooting efficiency, and Boston had a 4-0 record. Battling an illness since February, Porzingis averaged 4.2 points in the series.
“(It was) super, super frustrating. As frustrating as you can imagine. Not being able to help this team more, especially with JT’s departure,” Porzingis commented. “Not being of much help hurts a lot inside.”
Kristaps Porzingis
Description: “Finishing in May is strange, it’s definitely not something we were prepared for. … Losing to the Knicks feels like a death. But I was always taught that there is life after death, so we will prepare for whatever comes our way,” said Jaylen Brown.
Porzingis plans to undergo a period of rest and further testing in the coming months in the hope of “resetting” his system. He intends to play for his native Latvia in the Eurobasket in August.
The future of the Celtics is uncertain. With Tatum facing a long recovery after surgery that could keep him out of the 2025-26 season, the Celtics face a record payroll of up to $500 million next season if they keep the same team.
The Celtics will be sold to a group led by investor Bill Chisholm, who has not yet revealed his spending plans after buying a majority stake in the team this summer for a valuation of over $6 billion.
“You’re never getting this season back. You’re never getting the same team back,” said Celtics guard Derrick White. “So there were obviously ups and downs throughout the season, but right now it’s just a little bit of a low.”
Derrick White
