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The Knicks lost 131-104 to the Boston Celtics on Saturday at MSG.
– Boston had already entered this one without point guard Jrue Holiday (shoulder injury), and it lost another key starter at the last minute when former Knick Kristaps Porzingis (illness) got scratched just before tipoff.
– As a result, it was on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to shoulder even more weight on the offensive end, and that wasn’t a problem early. The dynamic duo got off to a scorching start, as they shot a combined 7-for-13 to account for 18 of the Celtics’ 30 first-quarter points.
– The Knicks, on the other hand, started ice cold on this snowy NYC night and they found themselves in an immediate hole. New York missed their first seven shots of the game, setting the tone for a brutal 7-of-25 shooting in the opening frame.
– Things didn’t get much better in the second quarter, as the Celtics started on an 8-0 run and built their biggest lead of the game. Sixth Man of the Year candidate Payton Pritchard knocked down three threes en route to 14 points off the bench, and Neemias Queta dominated down low with eight points and five boards.
– New York’s offensive struggles continued, but Jalen Brunson was doing a good job of getting to the line to keep it in the game. The captain was the only Knick in double figures at the halftime break as he drilled 11 free throws to bring his total to 18 for the half.
– Whatever Tom Thibodeau‘s message was in the locker room, it worked. The Knicks looked the best that they had all game opening the third, as conesutive baskets from Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns sparked a 12-2 run to get back within single digits for the first time since the first quarter.
– But once again, Tatum countered and led the Celtics on a run of their own. The superstar power forward simply could not miss as he dropped 19 points in the quarter to push the lead back over 20, taking the momentum back and putting the Knicks away for good.
– Tatum stepped up tremendously for Boston, finishing with a game-high 40 points on 13-of-26 shooting from the field while drilling seven threes, reeling in six rebounds, and dishing four assists. Pritchard continued making is rain in garbage time, knocking down six threes of his own and finishing with 25 points.
– Brunson led the way for the Knicks with 36 points on an efficient 10-of-18 from the field, but the rest of the offense was relatively quiet. Josh Hart had 17 points and eight boards, Mikal Bridges finished with 11, and Towns had just nine points in perhaps his worst showing this season.
He was locked in from the start, and put the Knicks away for good when it looked like they’d stolen the momentum.
The Knicks have two days off before traveling to Indiana and facing the Pacers on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
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