About an hour before tip-off, a friend texted me: “Wanna go to the Knicks/Celtics game tonight?” As a diehard New York Knicks fan, I usually steer clear of the big-ticket matchups — too pricey for the upper deck life. But one Apple Pay double-click later, section 214, row 2, seats 13 and 14 were mine.
Heading into the game, I knew the stakes. The Knicks hadn’t beaten Boston all season, but this would be the first time both teams had fully healthy rosters. Finally, a true test of what a potential playoff series could look like.
To my surprise, I wasn’t panicking in the first quarter for once. In their previous matchups, the Knicks had a minus-49 point differential after just 12 minutes. Games slipped away before they even started. But this time? The Knicks came out swinging — up 30–27 after one. I had to check the scoreboard twice. Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson combined for 22 points, setting a tone that was both refreshing and unexpected.
Of course, Boston did what Boston does: they rained threes. Porzingis, Tatum, and Derrick White kept the Celtics close, cutting the lead to six by halftime. To be fair, Boston wasn’t totally at full strength — Jaylen Brown, despite being cleared, looked off all night. He picked up three fouls early and finished with just two points.
Should Knicks fans consider themselves lucky? Not exactly.
This wasn’t the Knicks sneaking away with a lead—they were trading punches in a legit slugfest. An early 8–0 Celtics run in the second half triggered a Thibodeau timeout, but the Knicks responded. Porzingis’ 39-foot 3-pointer almost broke me, but the Knicks stayed locked in. This game had everything: pace, grit, energy — a playoff feel in April.
With under three minutes to go in the fourth, the Knicks found themselves down again. Then came an 8–0 run, capped by a Brunson layup through traffic to give them a three-point cushion. But then—Jayson Tatum happened. A drive. A score. And a moment of hesitation from OG Anunoby, who admitted postgame he wondered if he should’ve fouled. He didn’t. Tatum tied it.
Overtime felt like a gut punch. A miscommunication between Mikal Bridges and Towns blew a crucial possession, and the Knicks fell short. But this wasn’t a loss that should bring fans down.
Yes, Porzingis and Tatum combined for 66 points. Yes, Boston hit 19 threes. But the Knicks matched their energy and answered every major Celtics run with one of their own.
They kept Boston from gaining an early lead. They held Jaylen Brown to six points in 22 minutes. Derrick White went 5-of-14 and turned it over three times. Those are small wins — and they matter.
Jalen Brunson, still shaking off rust from his ankle injury, dropped 27 clutch points. Karl-Anthony Towns was a force with 34 points and 14 rebounds on 14-of-21 shooting. If there was a downside, it’s that Anunoby’s 20+ point streak ended, and Josh Hart was forced to take uncomfortable looks outside the paint.
The Knicks are now 0-4 against Boston this season and 0-9 against the NBA’s top three teams — not a great stat on paper. But make no mistake: this game felt like the start of something. It felt real. It felt competitive. It felt like a series we’d all love to see in May.
And if losing by two points to the best team in the league is the low point?
That’s a step in the right direction.