Knicks stun Celtics with more fourth-quarter magic in wild run to take improbable 2-0 series lead
BOSTON — They did it again.
Somehow, these never-say-die, refuse-to-lose Knicks stunned the defending champions again in their own building.
They rallied Wednesday from 20 points down in the third quarter — again — and left a shocked TD Garden with a 91-90 win when Mikal Bridges stole a Jayson Tatum pass in the final seconds of regulation.
Now, after these two incredible comebacks in three days, the Knicks are within two games of their first trip to the Eastern Conference finals in a quarter century with Game 3 set for Saturday afternoon at what should be a raucous Garden.
After their latest great escape, the Knicks became the first team in the play-by-play era (dating back to 1996) to come from 20 points down in consecutive playoff games and prevail.
The only sounds to be heard as fans filed out were joyous “Knicks in four” chants from the orange and blue faithful who made the trip.
“That’s some wild stuff right there,” Jalen Brunson said.
Brunson’s two free throws with 12.7 seconds left gave the Knicks the lead for good, and Bridges was there to take the ball away from Tatum, two days after his strip of Jaylen Brown in the final seconds of overtime sent the Knicks to a Game 1 victory.
“We got the Clutch Player of the Year in the NBA, and we got possibly one of the most clutchest defenders in the NBA as well,” Karl-Anthony Towns said.
The Celtics coughed up a 16-point lead in the final 8:27, and managed just six points in that span.
Like Game 1, Bridges was the star, shaking off an 0-for-8 start from the field to score 14 fourth-quarter points.
Josh Hart led the Knicks with 23 points, Towns had 21 points and 17 rebounds and Brunson added 17, nine of which came in the final 4:39, along with seven assists. Tatum and Brown were a combined 13-of-42 from the field for the Celtics, who again were ice-cold from 3-point range, making just 10-of-40.
On the strength of a furious 21-2 run, the Knicks held a three-point lead with 56.5 seconds to go.
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Tatum hit two free throws then split a double-team and flew in for an uncontested slam.
But Brunson drew a foul on the other end and sank two clutch free throws,
That set up the final, fateful possession. On a switch, Mitchell Robinson drew Tatum.
The superstar wing couldn’t get past Robinson, so he veered toward the baseline, where Bridges and OG Anunoby both switched onto him.
Tatum rose up and tried to pass back to Brown, but Bridges picked off the pass and threw it down court as the clock expired.
“Pretty epic,” Robinson said.
The third quarter started exactly like Game 1 did: With the Celtics picking apart the Knicks.
Tatum scored Boston’s first five points of the period and the lead soon ballooned from nine past double figures to the 20-point mark again.
What’s happening on and off the Garden court
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Kristaps Porzingis got on the board in the series, throwing down a dunk, then sinking a 3-pointer. It was 73-53, nearly an identical score to Game 1.
Only 3:12 remaining in the third quarter.
It would’ve been easy to settle for the split on the road. Not these Knicks.
“I think we’re just confident, confident knowing we’re just always gonna find a way,” Bridges said. “A lot of us sit on the bench while we’re down just like, ‘We’ve been here before, pretty sure we’re gonna win this game.’ ”
They reeled off eight straight points entering the final quarter to get within 12. The similarities to Game 1 continued.
The Knicks kept coming, and got as close as four on a Hart basket with 3:18 left.
By then, the Celtics were collapsing, and the Knicks were headed to a 2-0 lead in a series nobody gave them a shot to win before it started.
“Going home we know the opportunity we have,” Brunson said. “We have to make sure we’re locked in. Making sure our mindset is the same.”
