It’s being marked as the most important playoff game in franchise history over the past 25 years.
It might just be the most important playoff game in all of New York sports in the last 25 years.
Tonight, the New York Knicks aren’t just looking to close out Game 6 against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden — they’re looking to remind fans they’re built for these moments. Game 5’s disastrous second half proved that New York wasn’t prepared for the unexpected, as they underestimated Luke Kornet’s best playoff game of his career and perhaps got too comfortable with a 3-1 series lead.
In a game where the Celtics are without Jayson Tatum — and will continue to be if the series extends to a seventh matchup — the Knicks simply needed to adjust... and failed. Jalen Brunson picking up five fouls, all in the third quarter, put their offense on a leash. This, combined with Karl-Anthony Towns’ lack of perimeter shooting limiting his scoring to the paint, stalled their offensive flow.
What needs to change for the Knicks?
If the Knicks hope to close out the series in front of their home crowd, Mitchell Robinson needs more court time. Despite a 25-point loss in Game 6, Robinson arguably had his best performance, scoring eight points and grabbing 13 rebounds — six of which were offensive — while finally delivering what fans had been waiting for: going 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.
The stat sheet might suggest Towns had a better night than Robinson, but Robinson did a superior job closing out opponents beyond the arc, including smaller guards like Payton Pritchard and Derrick White. In the 110 minutes Robinson has been on the floor during this series, the Knicks have outscored the Celtics by 26 points. In the 135 minutes he’s been on the bench, the Celtics have outscored the Knicks by 61 points.
That’s not just a massive point differential — it’s the undeniable reason the Knicks have gone on scoring runs time and again. It’s not just about offensive production but also their defensive efforts.
Big things come in small packages
In the Knicks’ five-man lineups this series, the starting five has recorded a -16.3 Net Rating. Meanwhile, alternative lineups featuring Robinson over Towns have posted Net Ratings of +32 or higher. The surge in productivity is no coincidence — it’s proof that Robinson’s on-court impact is making a difference.
Knicks fans may never fully see what a double big-man lineup looks like due to Josh Hart’s recent emergence in the starting lineup. However, in the limited sample sizes we’ve seen, Towns and Robinson complement each other’s games, covering for each other’s weaknesses.
There may be no number of stats or record-breaking performances that can change head coach Tom Thibodeau’s mind, but in the most pivotal playoff game of his head coaching career, perhaps it’s time to switch things up.