The New York Knicks were in jeopardy of playing a win-or-go-home Game 7 in the first round of the playoffs against the Pistons, but then Jalen Brunson happened. Sound familiar? He hit a game-winning three-pointer in Game 6 to advance the Knicks to the second round for the third consecutive year.
Let's be real — nobody thought New York would give Boston trouble in the semifinals. Or, as much trouble as the Knicks did in three of the series' first four games. New York left TD Garden with a 2-0 lead after battling back from 20-point deficits in the first two games. The Celtics cruised to a 115-93 win in Game 3, putting the series at 2-1. The last thing the Knicks wanted was to return to Boston with the series tied.
With thousands of antsy fans packed into MSG and on the streets outside, New York beat Boston, 121-115, in Game 4 to go up 3-1. The Knicks are one win away from making it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Read that again.
Knicks are one win away from reaching the ECF for first time since 2000
Brunson tried to calm down fans on Monday night because he felt like the win was "nothing to celebrate" (subscription required). The job isn't done — New York needs to win one of the next three games to advance to the ECF. Brunson wasn't wrong; technically, there isn't anything to celebrate yet, but the night was celebration-worthy for fans. They spent too many years watching the Knicks sit at the bottom of the NBA.
New York is in a position to do what many thought was unthinkable entering the playoffs. The Knicks went 0-4 against the Celtics during the regular season, which shows how much of a different beast the postseason is. You can't write off any team in the playoffs.
Game 5 will be on Thursday in Boston. All signs point toward Jayson Tatum missing the rest of the series after suffering a non-contact injury on Monday. The fear is that he tore his Achilles, but nothing has been reported yet. Hopefully, that isn't what it is, but unfortunately, that's how it looked.
The Celtics have their back against the wall. Their 2024-25 season started with a commanding win over the Knicks, and it could end with a loss to the same (but different) team. If you thought New York City went crazy after Game 4's win, just wait.