Brunson Fouls Out With 5 Fouls In Last Quarter
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Andrew Rosario
White Torches Knicks For 34 Points
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
Coming off their game 4 win at Madison Square Garden this past Monday night in which they took a commanding 3-1 series lead, the New York Knicks looked to close out the defending champion Boston Celtics on their home floor at TD Bank Arena. The Celtics would be without their leader Jayson Tatum who underwent season ending surgery on his right Achilles tendon the day before. Beware of the wounded animal as they have nothing to lose. The Celtics who had lived by the 3-point shot and died by the 3-point shot in the first 4 games, was hoping they could recapture their 3-point magic.
Celtics guard Derrick White picked up for Tatum in the first quarter as he drained 4, 3-pointers as Boston opened up a 18-13 lead. The Knicks would right themselves and outscored the Celtics 19-12 to take a 32-30 lead at the end of the first quarter. The teams would go back and forth before the Knicks took an
8-point lead after a Miles Mc Bride 3-pointer. Boston would rally after and after a Jaylen Brown 3-pointer, the game was tied at 57. They would trade baskets going into halftime at 59. Then, Boston showed their sold-out crowd they would not let their season end in front of them.
Knicks guard Josh Hart (after getting his left eye split open by Celtics center Luke Kornet) converts 2 free throws to bring the Knicks within at 70-68. It would be the closest New York would get. Boston would go on a 21-8 run as they would take a 91-76 lead and never looked back. White scorched the Knicks for 14 points.
The final quarter was just an exercise in futility for New York as Boston outscored them 36-26 in the 127-102 win. The Celtics converted 22 of 49 3-pointers while the Knicks struggled from 3-point land only converting 12 of 30 attempts. Captain Jalen Brunson (22 points) committed 5 fouls in the final quarter and fouled out with more than 7 minutes left in the game. Hart, despite the gash, finished with a team high 24 points. White finished with a game high 34 points with Jaylen Brown adding 26. Kornet was a defensive point blocking 7 shots. Payton Pritchard continued to be a problem for New York, coming off the bench to score 17 points.
Said Brunson after the game, “they came out with a sense of urgency that we need.” Head coach Tom Thibodeau added this, “the start of the second quarter, we didn’t play well. We had a lead. Didn’t play tough enough with the lead. Came out to start the third, didn’t play well there. Can’t afford to do that.”
So, game 6 will take place Friday night as the Knicks to close out the series and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. Boston is looking to get back home for game 7 that would take place Monday night.
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