The New York Knicks pulled off another improbable 20-point comeback, defeating the Boston Celtics 91-90 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Mikal Bridges sealed the win with his second straight game-ending steal, swiping the ball from Jayson Tatum in the final seconds.
Brunson scored 17 points, hitting two crucial free throws with 12.7 seconds left for a 91-90 lead. Bridges, who scored all 14 of his points in the fourth quarter, made the game-saving steal. Josh Hart led the Knicks with 23 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and 17 rebounds. Game 3 is set for Saturday in New York.
The Celtics shot just 10/40 from three, following a 15/60 performance in Game 1. Tatum was held to 13 points (5/19), while Brown and Derrick White each had 20 points. Boston went over eight minutes without a field goal in the fourth, missing 13 straight shots. Kristaps Porzingis, after an illness in Game 1, came off the bench for 8 points in 14 minutes.
Despite leading 84-68, the Celtics collapsed. Towns’ three-point play and Brunson’s jumper turned the tide. “We know we can play better,” Hart said. Teams that win the first two games of a best-of-seven series on the road win the series 85.7% of the time.
