Knicks winning formula in Game 1 may be more sustainable than it looked

The New York Knicks ran into an all-too-familiar sight during Game 1 against the Boston Celtics: an Al Horford dunk with 6:19 left to put Boston up by 20. Knicks fans had seen this before — Boston raining open threes, Jayson Tatum isolations clicking — and to many, the game felt over.

Until it wasn’t.

Out of a timeout from head coach Tom Thibodeau, everything changed. Assigning OG Anunoby to Tatum flipped the switch. Anunoby's elite defense forced Boston’s top scorer into contested looks, throwing the Celtics’ rhythm off. But it wasn’t just the defense that clicked — Anunoby lit it up offensively too, scoring 20 of his 29 points in the second half, including four threes.

Jalen Brunson, the 2024–25 Clutch Player of the Year, took over in the fourth. He drilled three critical threes to give the Knicks a 94–91 lead — their first since trailing 33–31 in the second quarter. Despite playing 44 minutes, fighting through foul trouble, and battling mismatches, Brunson matched Anunoby with a game-high 29 points. It wasn’t his cleanest performance — he had four turnovers — but again, he proved it’s heart over height.

Don’t overlook Mikal Bridges. Though he finished with just eight points, his presence was felt. The five first-round picks New York gave up for him looked justified when he came up with key deflections and timely closeouts, helping the Knicks push the pace in transition. And the game-sealing play? It came from him — ripping the ball away from Jaylen Brown beyond the arc in overtime, sending the Celtics back to the drawing board.

This wasn’t just luck. Boston missed 45 threes — the most in NBA postseason history — but that didn’t come from poor execution. The Knicks pressured well, closed out hard, and capitalized. Kristaps Porzingis' absence pushed the Celtics into awkward lineups — Luke Kornet with the starters and a 38-year-old Al Horford forced into difficult matchups, leading to foul trouble and stagnant offense. The early sub of Miles McBride for Josh Hart gave New York added spacing and defensive intensity, exactly what Boston didn’t want.

Were the Knicks prepared for this? Maybe not. But fighting back is what this team does. Look no further than their Game 1 comeback against the Pistons — down 10, they sparked a 21–0 run with smart decisions and unlikely contributors. Basketball is a game of runs. Success comes from knowing when — and how — to strike.

Now, New York must look ahead. Boston likely won’t miss that many shots again. And while Kristaps Porzingis, Sam Hauser, and Payton Pritchard’s statuses remain uncertain, the Knicks need to attack as if they’re all playing. Mitchell Robinson, despite a +13 in the box score, went just 3-of-10 from the line. That can’t continue.

Early foul trouble for Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns hurt New York’s aggressiveness, opening the door for Boston’s hack-a-Shaq strategy on Robinson. Smarter switches and controlled defense — not reckless aggression — will be key to forcing another cold shooting night from the Celtics. Getting others involved outside Brunson is essential, too — it shifts the defense and gives Brunson more room to operate inside and out.

So for Celtics fans, pray your team ties this up at 1–1. For Knicks fans, pray for the Celtics — because Game 1 might’ve just been the start of something dangerous.