The New York Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics 121-113 in Game 4. A 39-point game from Jalen Brunson and 23 from Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges gave them a commanding 3-1 series lead. Jayson Tatum carried the Celtics with an excellent 42-point performance, but in the fourth quarter, he went down with a leg injury that looked severe.
The Boston Celtics Lead Early
The Boston Celtics won Game 3, but the Knicks looked to take a decisive lead in the series after comeback wins in Games 1 and 2. Derrick White started things for the Celtics, but as they’ve done all series, Brunson and Towns answered for New York. Still, White was hot, starting 3-of-3 from three.
This gave Boston an early lead, before Mikal Bridges and Brunson fueled an 11-0 run. An OG Anunoby three gave the Knicks the lead. From there, both teams traded the lead back and forth. Tatum closed the quarter strong, giving the Celtics a 12-0 run. At the end of the first quarter, the Boston Celtics led 39-28. Tatum and White combined for seven threes.
The Knicks battled back, starting the second quarter on a 7-0 run. They were dominant in the paint, winning extra possessions with offensive rebounds. The Boston Celtics responded with a 9-0 run of their own. But it was a quarter of runs, as New York went on another 9-0 run after that. A Tatum three halted the run, but both teams continued to go blow for blow.
A Kristaps Porzingis tip-in put Boston back up by double digits, and they maintained that lead for the remainder of the first half. The two teams fought neck and neck for an even 23-23 quarter. At halftime, the Boston Celtics led 62-51.
Tatum had an excellent first half for the Boston Celtics. He had 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, going 4-of-7 from three. White had 17 points, shooting 4-of-5 from three. They were shooting well from beyond the arc, going 12-of-24 as a team. The Knicks were led by Brunson with 13 points, followed by Towns with 10.
They were winning on the glass, as Towns and Mitchell Robinson dominated the rebounding battle. They outscored the Celtics 24-12 in the paint. Even though it was a double-digit deficit, the game was tight. Both teams went on runs, and both teams had chances to win in the second half.
Knicks Win in the Clutch
Towns got an and-one to start the third quarter and a dunk on the following possession. The Boston Celtics answered with threes from Tatum and White, but Brunson followed with five straight points. Jaylen Brown was then given a flagrant foul, and Brunson’s free throws cut the lead to five. The New York crowd was lively again, and the Knicks had momentum.
Brunson was electric, knocking down another three. Towns and Brunson were scoring every trip down the floor. Another Brunson basket made it a two-point game. He could not miss, tying the game with another fadeaway. They took the lead, and through three quarters, the Knicks led 88-85. Brunson scored 18 points in the third quarter, giving New York a huge boost heading into the fourth.
They extended their lead to start the quarter with back-to-back Bridges buckets. Tatum got more tough shots to fall, keeping it close, and a three-pointer tied the game. Another Tatum three gave the Boston Celtics the lead back. But Bridges was having another automatic fourth quarter, and the Knicks pulled ahead again. Tatum tied it up with an and-one, and Anunoby responded with another three. With 4:47 left, New York led 107-104 after Porzingis missed two free throws.
Brunson hit another tough shot, followed by Bridges, to give the Knicks a 113-104 lead with three minutes to go. On a loose ball, Tatum went down, gripping his ankle. He was already battling a wrist injury and was Boston’s only offense in the fourth quarter before the non-contact injury. He was brought to the locker room in a wheelchair. From there, New York took a double-digit lead and secured the win. The Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics 121-113.
Final Thoughts
This was another great win from the Knicks to take a 3-1 series lead. Brunson was phenomenal, scoring 39 points, and the supporting cast was great as well. Bridges and Towns each had 23 and Anunoby had 20 points. They exploded for 70 points in the second half to get a huge win in Madison Square Garden. They are now only one win away from advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Boston Celtics’ biggest concern will be Tatum’s health. His injury looked bad, especially considering the performance he was having. He had 42 points on 16-of-28 shooting, and the injury looked bad. If he is out, the chances of a Celtics comeback are likely impossible. He had 22 of Boston’s 51 second-half points. Many call the Celtics a super-team, but this game was proof that Tatum is the super-team.
More must-reads: