The New York Knicks have been the surprise team of the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Entering this series against the Boston Celtics, virtually nobody even gave New York a chance to take down Boston in a seven-game series. Many did not even have it reaching five games.
The Knicks did something no NBA team has ever done in the playoffs
Now, they find themselves heading back home having taken both games against Boston on the road to go up 2-0 in the series. How did they do it? By making NBA Playoffs history.
In both Games 1 and 2, New York erased a 20-point second half deficit to come back and win. They are now the first team ever to do that in consecutive playoff games in league history, per BetMGM.
Their resilience has been on full display this postseason, with its first signs coming during the first round against the Detroit Pistons. In Game 6, after surrendering a double-digit lead, the Knicks looked to be dead in the water after falling down seven with just over two minutes remaining.
However, Jalen Brunson put on his superhero cape and came through in the clutch once again, climbing the Knicks back from the deficit and drilling a game-winning three-pointer to send Detroit home. He did more of the same in Game 1 against the Celtics, making a string of tough shots in an 11-point fourth quarter to come back after trailing by 20.
The Knicks have made two improbable comebacks to take full control of the series
In Game 2, it was a different hero that stepped up. Mikal Bridges was scoreless through the first three quarters before he scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to trim the 20-point deficit. The Knicks would grab their first lead with just under two minutes remaining in the fourth when Brunson drilled a turnaround mid-range jumper.
Bridges then made the game-saving block on Jayson Tatum in the final seconds to secure the win. Both wins were drama-filled, cinematic masterpieces, and the Knicks have a chance to completely change a narrative if they can close the series out.
They will look to gain a 3-0 series lead Saturday, when the series heads to Madison Square Garden for Game 3.
More must-reads: