The New York Knicks trailed by 20 points in the second half, but Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby each scored 29 points to lead a stunning comeback, sealed by Mikal Bridges’ steal from Jaylen Brown with one second left in overtime, as the Knicks shocked the Boston Celtics 108-105 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Monday night.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 14 points and 13 rebounds for New York, which had lost all four regular-season games against Boston. “We kept believing, kept fighting, and stuck together,” Brunson said. The Celtics, despite a commanding lead, missed an NBA playoff-record 45 3-pointers. Jayson Tatum and Brown each had 23 points, while Derrick White contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Jrue Holiday returned from a hamstring injury (16 points), but Kristaps Porzingis played only 13 minutes due to illness. Boston coach Joe Mazzulla admitted, “His absence impacted us, but it’s no excuse.” The Celtics shot 15/60 from three, with 37 of their 49 second-half and OT shots coming from beyond the arc.
New York surged in overtime with a three-point play from Anunoby and a Bridges 3-pointer (106-100). Brown cut it to 108-105, but Bridges’ steal clinched the win. Game 2 is set for Wednesday. “There’s no blueprint,” Brunson said, “but as long as we stick together, anything is possible.”
