The defending NBA champion Boston Celtics roared back to life with a commanding 115-93 win over the New York Knicks on Saturday, avoiding a dreaded 0-3 hole in their second-round Eastern Conference playoff series.
After two frustrating losses at home, where they blew double-digit leads, the Celtics left no doubt in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden. Boston exploded to a 36-20 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, handing the Knicks their largest halftime home playoff deficit in franchise history, 71-46.
Payton Pritchard, recently named the 2025 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, led all scorers with 23 points, draining five three-pointers. Jayson Tatum filled the stat sheet with 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, while Jaylen Brown and Derrick White chipped in 19 and 17 points, respectively.
Boston’s shooting woes from the previous games were a distant memory as they hit 20-of-40 three-pointers, including 5-of-9 from Tatum and 3-of-4 from Al Horford. The Celtics finished the game shooting 48.2% from the field, a sharp contrast to the Knicks’ 40% overall and a cold 20% (5-of-25) from beyond the arc.
“We understood the magnitude of this game,” Tatum said postgame. “Didn’t like the way we felt after last game… we just came out with the right mindset.”
Knicks stars Jalen Brunson (27 points) and Karl-Anthony Towns (21 points, 15 rebounds) were the lone bright spots for a New York squad that never held a lead. Head coach Tom Thibodeau admitted the Celtics’ hot start rattled his team: “They got confidence early, and we didn’t respond well.”
Boston now trails 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, with Game 4 scheduled for Monday, again at Madison Square Garden. A win would tie the series and shift momentum back in Boston’s favor as they seek their first back-to-back titles since 1969.
“We’ve been through a lot,” said coach Joe Mazzulla. “You don’t get into the journey for it to be easy. You’ve just got to tap into your darkness.”
Meanwhile, the Western Conference matchup between Minnesota and Golden State will continue Saturday night with the series tied 1-1.