Tapped Into the Darkness, Celtics Torch Knicks and The Narrative

Boston dominated from the opening tip in Game 3, routing the Knicks 115-93 on Saturday night and cutting New York’s series lead to 2-1. The Celtics buried 20-of-40 shots from beyond the arc, a dramatic reversal after a historically cold start to the series.

“You’ve got to tap into your darkness,” coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters before the game, referencing the emotional toll of the first two losses. “It’s been dark, but in a good way.”

The Celtics entered Game 3 shooting just 25% from three in the series and missed a playoff-record 45 attempts in Game 1. Saturday was a different story. Jayson Tatum, long the subject of scrutiny during the slump, responded with 5-of-9 shooting from deep and finished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and a renewed sense of purpose.

“You just understand what comes with being that guy,” Tatum said. “There’s times where I’ve needed to play better, and that’s what comes with the responsibility. Tonight was about that.”

While Boston’s stars steadied the ship, it was Payton Pritchard who helped steer it. With Jrue Holiday limited by early foul trouble, Pritchard logged a postseason-high 35 minutes and delivered 21 points on 5-of-10 from deep.

“Our sub patterns are always flexible,” Mazzulla said. “Payton was good. Jrue had some fouls, and we just went with what was working. He played really well on both ends.”

Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis returned to action but remains on a managed workload. Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania the 7-foot-3 forward is still battling lingering fatigue after a virus he contracted in March. Porzingis, who played 19 minutes, has experienced “energy zaps” and inconsistent stamina for weeks.

Boston’s win may not have erased the series deficit, but it reignited belief — and, for now, quieted the panic.

As Mazzulla put it, “This is the fun part. I didn’t get into the journey for it to be easy.”

Game 4 is Monday night, also in New York.