The reigning champions are on the ropes.
The New York Knicks stunned the Boston Celtics with a monster comeback for the second time in a row to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series. They used a 21-2 run and late heroics from Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges to clinch a 91-90 victory in Wednesday’s Game 2 at TD Garden.
Brunson calmly drilled two free throws with 12 seconds remaining to give the visitors the lead, and Bridges then forced a turnover from Jayson Tatum on Boston’s final possession.
While New York deserves all the credit in the world for stealing two straight games in Boston, it was impossible to see this as anything but a collapse. After all, the Celtics were up by 20 points late in the third quarter and then went ice cold as the Knicks went on the 21-2 burst and completely flipped the script of the game.
Boston was an abysmal 10-of-40 from three-point range as a team, while Tatum went 5-of-19 from the field and 1-of-5 from deep. Jaylen Brown had six turnovers to one assist, while a typically dominant defender in Jrue Holiday committed the late foul on Brunson.
Social media didn’t hold back on the Celtics:
All the pressure was on Boston coming into this one after it shot 15-of-60 from deep in a Game 1 loss. While it wasn’t a must-win situation, its collective back was still against the wall as it looked to avoid dropping two straight and needing to completely turn things around at Madison Square Garden.
It seemed like it did just that when it jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first quarter with Derrick White hitting some triples, Brown attacking the lane and the defense setting the tone.
And then it appeared as if the home team put away any concern that New York was still within striking distance with a dominant third quarter.
Tatum started finding his offense with a three-pointer, driving dunk and assist on a Luke Kornet dunk, while White drew a charge on an OG Anunoby slam and fired up the fans. Even Kristaps Porziņģis, who is dealing with an illness that limited him to 13 minutes in Game 1, mixed in a dunk and three-pointer as the lead expanded to 20.
Still, New York wouldn’t go away.
Josh Hart and Bridges spearheaded much of the 21-2 run as the commanding advantage evaporated. It didn’t help Boston’s cause that it once again started throwing up nothing but bricks on a number of open looks from the outside that could have put the game away.
That left the door wide open, and the Knicks came charging through with a Karl-Anthony Towns and-1 before a jumper and transition layup from Brunson to give the Knicks the lead.
While Tatum responded with a dunk to temporarily give Boston the lead back, Brunson hit the free throws before Bridges notched the defensive stop to give the Knicks a 2-0 lead before the series shifts to New York for Saturday’s Game 3.
