Despite being swept in the regular season by a significant margin, the New York Knicks rallied stunningly Monday night, securing a 108-105 overtime victory against the defending champion Boston Celtics on their home court.
The Knicks overcame a 20-point third-quarter deficit with relentless endurance and hustle, snatching crucial home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Jalen Brunson spearheaded the fourth-quarter comeback, scoring eight consecutive points to give the Knicks a 97-91 lead. His 77 fourth-quarter points through seven playoff games place him in elite company, alongside Steph Curry and Kobe Bryant as the only players to achieve that mark in the last 25 years.
While regulation ended with missed opportunities from both Brunson and Boston’s Jayson Tatum, the Knicks’ supporting cast rose to the occasion in overtime. OG Anunoby ignited the extra period with a powerful dunk, contributing six clutch points. Mikal Bridges then took center stage, hitting a critical three-pointer and sealing the win with a game-winning steal – his third of the night. Bridges played an astounding 51 minutes, the longest of his career, becoming only the eighth Knick since 1973-74 to reach at least 8 points, six rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and two blocks in a single game.
“We told each other just keep believing, keep fighting,” Brunson emphasized after the hard-fought win. The Celtics and Knicks will face off again for Game 2 in Boston on Wednesday.