The New York Knicks suffered a significant setback in their campaign as they fell to the Boston Celtics 131-104 on Tuesday night. This defeat at TD Garden marked the Knicks' largest loss of the season. Despite a strong performance by Jalen Brunson, who scored a team-high 36 points on 18 shots, the Knicks struggled to keep up with the Celtics, who were missing two of their starters.
The Celtics played without Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, the latter being a late scratch due to a non-COVID illness. In their absence, Luke Kornet stepped up, contributing 14 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics' charge with an impressive 40-point showing.
The Knicks have struggled against top-tier teams this season, holding a 0-3 record against the Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. Entering the game, they were just 1.5 games behind the second-place Celtics in the standings and had won 7 of their last 8 games. However, their record against teams .500 or better remains a concern as they stand at 11-12, in contrast to a strong 23-6 record against sub-.500 teams.
The match saw the Celtics dominate most of the game despite New York's attempts to close the gap. The Knicks managed to cut their deficit to just three points midway through the third quarter, but a decisive 19-3 run by the Celtics effectively sealed their victory. This surge left little room for a Knicks comeback.
Karl-Anthony Towns, who had a quieter game with 9 points and 9 rebounds, acknowledged the need for improvement against tough opponents.
"If we've got aspirations, which I know we do, then we've got to find ways to win games like tonight." – Karl-Anthony Towns
Despite the loss, Brunson's individual performance stood out as a beacon of hope for New York. Meanwhile, Tatum praised Kornet for his contribution in Porzingis' absence.
"Big Luke played his ass off today." – Jayson Tatum
Derrick White highlighted the pressure Boston faces as one of the NBA's top teams.
"We've had a target on our back the whole year, and we understood that going into the season. I think every game [against us] is probably a measuring stick," – Derrick White
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