Do you want to watch game 3 of the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics series at Madison Square Garden? Be prepared to drop about two bands. According to The AP, tickets have surged with the Knicks returning home up over 2-0 on the defending champions. Just want to get in the door? Be prepared for a hefty $800. Want to sit on the floor? You could either drop $54K or buy a new car.
In a déjà vu performance reminiscent of Monday’s Game 1, the New York Knicks orchestrated another remarkable 20-point comeback to defeat the Boston Celtics on their home court in Wednesday’s Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The improbable 101-98 victory gives the Knicks a commanding 2-0 series lead heading back to Madison Square Garden.
The script unfolded with eerie similarity: a 20-point deficit in the third quarter, a furious fourth-quarter rally, the Knicks seizing the lead in the final five minutes, and a game-sealing steal by Mikal Bridges. The Knicks stand alone in the history of the NBA as the first team to complete a 20-point comeback in consecutive playoff games. This also marked the third straight night in the NBA playoffs with a 20-plus point comeback, a new league first.
Jalen Brunson once again proved clutch, scoring the Knicks’ final six points, including a go-ahead jumper with 1:59 remaining and two decisive free throws with 12.7 seconds on the clock. However, it was Mikal Bridges who fueled the fourth-quarter surge, erupting for 14 points after being scoreless through three. Bridges’ most significant contribution came on the defensive end for the second straight game.
Following Brunson’s go-ahead free throws, the Celtics opted against a timeout. Jayson Tatum drove against Mitchell Robinson, drawing help from OG Anunoby. Tatum attempted a step-back pass to Jaylen Brown, but Bridges, with the same tenacity he displayed in Game 1, intercepted the ball as time expired, securing the stunning victory.
“Defensively, he has the ability to change the whole course of a game,” teammate Josh Hart said of Bridges’ impact. The Knicks, who were 0-9 this season when trailing by 20 or more points, have now remarkably won their last two games under those exact circumstances, both on the road in the high-stakes environment of the playoffs. “We’ll always have the belief in each other… it’s about your mental toughness, your defense, and your teamwork,” Knicks Coach Tom Thibodeau emphasized after the improbable win.