Knicks banish defending champion Celtics, end 25-year mark before joyous New York crowd
NEW YORK — Madison Square Garden was rocking on this Friday night like it hadn't in 25 years.
Jalen Brunson had 23 points, six rebounds and six assists to lead five starters in double figures as the New York Knicks advanced to their first conference finals since 2000 with a 119-81 rout in Game 6 over the defending champion Boston Celtics.
New York will take on the Indiana Pacers for the chance to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. Game 1 in the best-of-seven series is Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden (8 p.m. ET, TNT).
OG Anunoby also had 23 points, Mikal Bridges scored 22, Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 12 rebounds and Josh Hart recorded a triple-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for New York, which won a playoff series on its home floor for the first time since the 1999 Eastern Conference finals against the very Pacers team they will soon meet.
The Celtics, who played without star Jayson Tatum, were out of sorts from the start, and found themselves down by as much as 41 points in the second half. They were attempting to become the 14th team to win a series after being down three games to one.
The Celtics did win Game 5 at home without Tatum, 127-102, and the six-time All-Star met with his teammates at the team hotel before Game 6 after having surgery on his right Achilles tendon.
But any rallying for their injured star fell by the wayside in quick order as the Knicks came out aggressive from the start and bullied their way inside, while the Celtics’ reliable 3-point shot that carried them to 61 regular-season victories and their first-round series win against Orlando was nowhere to be found.
Jaylen Brown scored 13 of his 20 points in the first half before fouling out with nearly three minutes remaining in the third quarter for Boston, which shot a dreadful 36%, hit 12-of-41 from 3-point range, was outrebounded 55-36 and outscored 48-34 in the paint. Payton Pritchard scored 11 off the bench and Al Horford was the only other Celtics starter in double figures with 10 points.
Read all the highlights from Game 6 of the Celtics vs. Knicks:
Knicks vs. Celtics highlights: Best plays from Game 6
Final: Knicks 119, Celtics 81
STATS: Full stats from the game can be found here.
Triple-double for Josh Hart
New York Knicks guard-forward Josh Hart has 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists and becomes the first Knick to register a triple-double in a playoff game since Walt Frazier in 1972. Frazier, a Knicks TV analyst, was sitting courtside to watch Hart’s accomplishment.
3Q: Knicks 92, Celtics 57
The joy and relief for the New York Knicks and their fans are real.
The Knicks are up 92-57 against the Boston Celtics after three quarters and are now just 12 minutes from reaching the Eastern Conference finals.
The first half was bad for the Celtics, and it just got worse in the third quarter as the Knicks built a 92-51 lead. Celtics star Jaylen Brown (20 points, six rebounds, six assists) fouled out with 2:50 left in the third quarter, and Al Horford was the only other player in double digits in points for the Celtics who are shooting 35.5% from the field and 26.7% on 3-pointers.
Karl-Anthony Towns has 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks, and teammate Jalen Brunson has 18 points, six rebounds and six assists.
If the Knicks hold on – and goodness if that doesn’t happen – they will play the Indiana Pacers in the East finals – a rematch of last season’s conference semifinals series won by the Pacers.
Jaylen Brown fouls out - in third quarter
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown fouled out – with 2:50 left in the third quarter, and Boston’s season is nearing an end.
The Knicks led 84-51 when Brown collected his sixth foul, and he was just one of two players in double digits in points for the defending champions. He finished with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Halftime: Knicks 64, Celtics 37
The Boston Celtics are in trouble and are two quarters from a premature playoff exit – their chances of repeating dwindling by the tick of the game clock.
The New York Knicks outscored the Celtics 38-17 in the second quarter and took a 64-37 lead into halftime, putting the Knicks in great position to reach the conference finals for the first time since 2000.
It's the first time the Knicks have led at halftime of the series, and the margin ties the Knicks' largest playoff halftime lead in franchise history.
Without All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum, who ruptured his right Achilles tendon in Game 4, the Celtics are struggling offensively and defensively. Jaylen Brown has 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting but the rest of the team is a combined 7-for-29 from the field and 1-for-13 on 3-pointers.
Karl-Anthony Towns leads the Knicks with 16 points and six rebounds. Teammates Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride are also in double figures in points with 12, 11 and 10, respectively.
Celebrities, former Knicks players dot sideline
NEW YORK — The celebrities are out in full force at Madison Square Garden for Game 6 against the Boston Celtics hoping the New York Knicks can clinch their first conference finals appearance in 25 years. Spotted on celebrity row were former Knicks players Walt Frazier, Larry Johnson, Bernard King, Stephon Marbury and John Starks. Some of the rest of the celebrity elite sitting, in premium seats that were going for thousands of dollars included Tracy Morgan, Jason Sudeikis, Lenny Kravitz, Ben Stiller, Bad Bunny, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Strahan, Jon Stewart, Fat Joe, Ice Spice, Sauce Gardner, Pete Davidson and of course Spike Lee.
1Q: Knicks 26, Celtics 20
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds and Knicks wing Mikal Bridges had 10 points but also picked up two fouls as the New York Knicks jumped out to a 26-20 lead after the first quarter of Game 6 Friday.
Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown scored 13 points and helped Boston keep the score close in the opening quarter. No other Celtics players made more than one field goal.
With Kristaps Porzingis not quite 100% as he deals with the lingering effects of a viral infection, Luke Kornet, who had a game-changing Game 5 (10 points, nine rebounds, seven blocks), got the start for Boston. Porzingis made an appearance and played six minutes, scoring three points.
New York shot 10-for-27 from the field and 3-for-14 on 3-pointers, and Boston was 8-for-24 and 3-for-10.
What time is Celtics vs. Knicks?
Game 6 of the Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks series will tip off at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, May 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
How to watch Celtics vs. Knicks playoff game: TV, stream
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Madison Square Garden in New York
- TV: ESPN
- Stream: Sling TV, YouTube TV, Fubo
Stream Celtics vs. Knicks with Fubo
Knicks starting five
- OG Anunoby, F
- Josh Hart, F
- Karl-Anthony Towns, C
- Mikal Bridges, G
- Jalen Brunson, G
Celtics starting five
- Jaylen Brown, F
- Al Horford, F
- Luke Kornet, C
- Jrue Holiday, G
- Derrick White, G
Celtics vs. Knicks NBA playoff schedule, results
Knicks win series 4-2
- Game 1: Knicks 108, Celtics 105 (OT)
- Game 2: Knicks 91, Celtics 90
- Game 3: Celtics 115, Knicks 93
- Game 4: Knicks 121, Celtics 113
- Game 5: Celtics 127, Knicks 102
- Game 6: Knicks 119, Celtics 81