The Knicks had gone 0-4 against the Boston Celtics in the regular season and allowed star Jayson Tatum to average 33.5 points per game against them. Things appeared to be heading in the same direction on Monday night in the third quarter of Game 1 as the Celtics grew their lead to 20 points.
But this Knicks team wasn’t going to give up and just let the defending NBA champs roll to victory — they also knew it was going to take time.
“We told each other to just keep believing, keep fighting, sticking together, and keep chipping away,” Jalen Brunson said after the 108-105 Game 1 win. “Wasn’t just going to be a 20-point shot where we could come back, keep chipping away possession by possession. Find a way to keep getting stops and making plays offensively as well.”
That’s exactly what they did. New York outscored Boston 30-23 in the third quarter and 25-16 in the fourth quarter to force overtime.
Brunson, who finished with 29 points and five three-pointers, had a look to win the game in regulation but his floater was a bit too strong. While the outcome wasn’t what he was looking for (that would’ve been a repeat of his Game 6 game-winner over the Detroit Pistons last Thursday), the point guard got support from his teammates and was able to lock in for OT.
“I feel like we still had momentum at that point,” Brunson said. “Obviously it wasn’t the result that we wanted. But we had another five minutes to compete, and we went out there as a team and did that. Just thankful I had my teammates. Yeah, overtime I wasn’t at my best and my teammates had my back and I’m thankful for that.”
Brunson didn’t score in overtime, but OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges stepped up to get the job done. The Knicks outscored the Celtics 8-5 in OT to pull off the upset. Anunoby also scored 29 points, including 12 in the third quarter, as the Knicks have now won five straight when he scores 25+ points.
“I felt like I had it going early,” Anunoby said. “Just trying to hunt for shots, get out in transition and run. Just be aggressive and make the right play, whether it’s passing it or shooting it.”
Head coach Tom Thibodeau credited the Knicks’ mental toughness for pulling off the comeback win, but made it clear they have to flush it out before Game 2 on Wednesday night.
“The important thing for us is to understand what it is, its one win. And then understand we have to reset and get ready for Game 2,” Thibodeau said.
“This team has fought all year, it’s been a pretty good road team,” Thibodeau added. “We’ve had to endure some things with guys out. I think over time that helps you. You build up your mental toughness and understanding how important that is. Like I said, it’s one game. There’s a lot of emotional highs and lows in a playoff, but no matter what happens you have to keep moving forward.”
Brunson reiterated that mindset, saying the team can’t get ahead of themselves after the Game 1 win and need to approach Game 2 the same way.
“Tonight, we’ll all go back and eat dinner together,” Brunson said. “Wake up tomorrow and it’s a brand-new day. Game 2 is 0-0. Gotta go out there and do the same thing, that’s our mindset. We got to flush it as quick as possible.”
The captain is confident the team can stay together and remain resilient with their 1-0 lead in the series.
“What’s most important is that we’re out there together and we’re going to fight for each other every possession,” Brunson said. “No matter how the game starts or finishes, we’re going to be there together. I think that’s how we want it too. We just want to stick together through all the nonsense, through all the BS that goes on. Good and bad we’re going to be together.”