Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby each scored 29 points as the visiting New York Knicks earned a 108-105 overtime victory against the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals on Monday night.
The Knicks overcame a 20-point deficit in the third quarter and sealed the win when Mikal Bridges stole the ball from Jaylen Brown after Boston inbounded the ball with three seconds to play.
“This team has fought all year, and been a pretty good road team,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.
“It’s one game. There’s a lot of emotional highs and lows in the playoffs, but no matter what happens you have to keep moving forward.”
He will, however, transition to a full-time role as the team’s president of basketball operations.
During the fourth quarter, Brunson tied the game at 89 with a 3-pointer and 91 on two free throws before giving the Knicks their first lead since the second.
His 3-pointer put them up 94-91 with 4:07 to play, and his third triple of the period extended New York’s advantage to six points, but Boston responded with a 7-0 run to take a 98-97 lead.
It was 100-100 when Brunson missed a layup with two seconds left. After a timeout, Jayson Tatum missed a 21-footer at the buzzer. The game went to overtime, where Anunoby’s dunk and foul shot and Bridges’ 3-pointer gave the Knicks the cushion they needed to finish the comeback.
“Your defense, your toughness, your teamwork — I think that’s paramount in a playoff game,” Thibodeau said.
Karl-Anthony Towns was in foul trouble for much of the game, but had 14 points and 13 rebounds in 31 minutes. Josh Hart had 14 points and 11 boards, and Bridges recorded eight points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals while playing 51 of the possible 53 minutes.
Brown and Tatum each tossed in a team-high 23 points for Boston. Tatum also had 16 rebounds, and Derrick White put up 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Kristaps Porzingis was scoreless in 13 minutes during the first half and didn’t play in the final two quarters with what the Celtics called an “illness.” Boston’s Sam Hauser also went to the locker room with an ankle injury with 28.5 seconds remaining in the third quarter and didn’t return to the game.
“Obviously it impacts the game with (Porzingis’) ability at both ends of the floor. … Hopefully he’s ready for Game 2.” Celtics coach Joe Mazulla said.
Boston led 26-25 after one quarter and outscored New York by 15 in the second quarter to take a 61-45 halftime lead. The Celtics scored the final eight points in the first half. The Knicks were 8-of-19 from the free throw line in the half.
Towns was called for his fourth foul and went to the bench with 7:07 left in the third quarter, but the Knicks made a strong run without him. New York was within six points before Al Horford made a 3-pointer with 6.2 seconds remaining in the quarter that gave the Celtics an 84-75 lead entering the fourth.
“We left some of their good shooters open, so some personnel stuff, and they were able to get out in transition after some of our misses,” Mazulla said of the Knicks’ comeback. “Detail stuff that we need to be better at.”
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series will be played Wednesday in Boston.
“The biggest challenge in the playoffs (is) dealing with the emotions of the playoffs,” Thibodeau cautioned. “If you feel too good about yourself you won’t be ready for Game 2.”
Reuters
