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Chiney Ogwumike makes bold declaration about Knicks-Celtics Game 4

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints
By Benedetto Vitale | Last updated May 12, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The New York Knicks own a 2-1 series lead over the Boston Celtics with Game 4 tipping off on Monday. It’s a pivotal moment, as New York can take a commanding 3-1 lead with a win, while Boston can steal back home-court advantage with a win of its own.

Leading up to the contest, ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike talked about the Knicks-Celtics series and how much Game 4 means for both teams. So much so, she declared that whichever team wins Monday night’s contest will be the team that wins the entire series.

“The winner of this game will likely win the series. If the Knicks win this game, historically, they would have a 95.6% chance of winning the series, and if the Celtics win this game, Game 4, they would have stolen momentum and take back home court advantage.”

"The winner of this game will likely win the series."@chiney breaks down why Game 4 tonight is a must-win moment in the Knicks-Celtics series pic.twitter.com/3V4Mr7pmhe

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 12, 2025

New York has managed to win two of the first three games of the series so far despite falling to a double-digit deficit at some point in all three contests. In Games 1 and 2, the Knicks fought back from being down 20 points. Game 3 was a different story, however, as they fell to a 31-point deficit and couldn’t manage the comeback, giving the Celtics their first win of the series.

For the Knicks, they’ll need everyone around Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to step up. OG Anunoby was a star in Game 1, where he scored 29 points. But his offense has been lacking ever since. Another key contributor to keep an eye on is Mitchell Robinson. If his presence as a defender improves, he could give New York an edge in the paint.

As for the Celtics, they’ll continue relying heavily on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. However, the team as a whole must step up, especially in three-point shooting, which is something Boston has excelled at all season long.

Game 4 is set to tip off at 7:30 p.m. EST. It’ll be the second contest of the series, taking place in New York before it goes back to Boston for Game 5 on Wednesday.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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