The Unicorn Burns His Ex-Team
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Andrew Rosario
No Moral Victories For Towns And Knicks
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
When the New York Knicks hosted the Boston Celtics Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, they were looking to do something they hadn’t done all year: Beat them! In losing the three previous games, New York was totally dominated by the Celtics. When they met on opening night in October, Boston shot an unprecedented 61, 3-point attempts making 29 in 132-109 rout. Jason Tatum scored 37 points connecting 8 of 11 3-pointers. They played two times In February. The first time Boston blew them out 131-104 as Tatum scorched them for 40 points. A couple of weeks later in Boston, it was another lopsided victory from the Boys from Beantown. The Knicks held Tatum to 25 points but came up short 118-105. In the 3 losses, the Knicks gave up an average of 127 points. It was the second game for New York’s Jalen Brunson as he missed close a month with a left ankle sprain suffered against the Los Angeles Lakers. Brunson had a marginal game scoring only 15 points in the win over the Phoenix Suns.
In playing their best quarter against Boston, New York jumped out to 14-9 lead forcing the Celtics to call a time out with
6:14 left in the first quarter. Tatum led Boston with 11 points, getting them within 3 (30-27). Karl-Anthony Towns established himself immediately, scoring 12 points. Brunson started to look like his old self chipping in 10 points.
In taking a 58-52 halftime lead, the Knicks held Tatum just 4 points. Ex-Knick Kristaps Porzingis after scoring 2 points in first quarter, scored 12 points in the second quarter. The Unicorn took 3-point shots, making missing both. Towns led the Knicks with 22 first half points.
Boston didn’t waste any time when they took the floor to start the third quarter scoring the first 8 points taking a 60-58 lead. Zingis hit the first of 2, 3 pointers while Jrue Holiday drained a 3-pointer and added a layup. It forced head coach Tom Thibodeau to call a early timeout at the 10:28 mark. Boston would go on to out score New York 31-20 with Porzingis ending the third quarter with 27 points extending the lead by 5, 83-78. It set up a back and forth fourth quarter and overtime.
Things did not look good for the Knicks as Boston took a 7-point lead 100-93 with 4:48 left in regulation after a Tatum basket. Behind Brunson and Mikal Bridges, they would combine for 10 points finishing the quarter on a 14-7 run sending the game into the extra quarter. Brunson steps up again, nailing a jump shot tying the game at 112. Then, Porzingis (34 points) strikes again making his 8th 3-pointer of the night as Boston went on to sweep the Knicks for the 4th time 119-117.
Tatum finished 32 points. Towns scored 34 and Brunson added 27.
Although it was the best fight the Knicks put up against Boston, it still ended in a loss. Said Towns, “we don’t take moral victories. We did a better job but it’s about getting the win and we didn’t do that tonight.”
New York had a 3-point lead in regulation and the Celtics had the ball with 3.1 seconds left. They elected not to foul and Tatum burned them hitting the game tying 3-pointer. Said Thibodeau of the decision not to foul, “well there are certain situations that you’ll use a foul, to not give them the three but you also got to be concerned who they have on the floor and if he’s facing the basket. That’s the big thing.”
The New York Knicks have three regular season games left. At Detroit, home vs Cleveland and in Brooklyn against the Nets. Currently in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, they would play Detroit in the first round of the playoffs.
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