Jalen Brunson scored 39 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 121-113 win over the Boston Celtics on Monday, putting the reigning NBA champions on the brink of elimination with a 3-1 series lead.
The Knicks overcame a 14-point third-quarter deficit with a spirited second-half comeback, led by Brunson’s 18 points in the third quarter. “Just found a way to make plays and get us going,” Brunson told ESPN. “We didn’t quit, kept fighting. And that’s what’s most important.”
Boston’s loss was compounded by a severe injury to star forward Jayson Tatum, who was carried off the court in the fourth quarter after scoring 42 points. Tatum was seen leaving the arena in a wheelchair, and Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla confirmed he would undergo an MRI on Tuesday. “He’ll get the MRI tomorrow and we’ll see what it is,” Mazzulla said.
Despite a strong start, including a 12-0 first-quarter run, the Celtics couldn’t maintain their lead as the Knicks rallied. Derrick White’s three-pointer had given Boston their largest lead of the night, but New York’s defense and Brunson’s scoring turned the game around.
The series returns to Boston for Game 5 on Wednesday, with the Knicks needing just one more win to secure a spot in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000.