Boston Celtics on Brink of Elimination After New York Knicks Win
The Boston Celtics are on the verge of being eliminated from the NBA play-offs after a 121-113 defeat to the New York Knicks in game four of their Eastern Conference semi-final series. The win, which was powered by Jalen Brunson’s 39 points, puts the Knicks up 3-1 and leaves the reigning NBA champions needing to win two consecutive games to stay alive.
According to a report by the BBC, the Celtics were in control of the game at one point, leading by 14 points in the third quarter. However, the Knicks staged a remarkable comeback, with Brunson playing a key role in the victory. As the BBC notes, "The Knicks stormed back from 14 points down in the third quarter to go 3-1 up in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final and are in sight of the finals for the first time since 2000."
The Celtics also suffered a significant blow, losing forward Jayson Tatum to a lower body injury in the fourth quarter. Tatum, who scored 42 points before leaving the game, was carried off the court and later seen being taken to the Madison Square Garden locker room in a wheelchair. As the BBC reports, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla described Tatum’s injury as a "lower body injury" and confirmed that he will have a scan on Tuesday to assess the damage.
"We’ll get the MRI and we’ll see what it is," Mazzulla said, as quoted by the BBC. "Obviously you’re always concerned about someone’s health. It’s two-fold, we’re concerned about his health and where’s he’s at. And then we’re concerned what we’ve got to do better in game five." The Celtics will need to win game five on Thursday to stay alive in the series, with the Knicks having the opportunity to clinch the series with a win in Boston.
The game itself was a thrilling encounter, with both teams showing great determination and skill. As the BBC notes, Boston started strongly, with Tatum and Payton Pritchard leading the charge. However, the Knicks took control of the game in the third quarter, with a Derrick White three-pointer giving the Celtics their biggest lead of the night early in the period. From then on, the Knicks dominated, taking an 88-85 lead into the final quarter.
Brunson’s performance was a key factor in the Knicks’ victory, with the player himself saying that he was simply "in a flow and doing whatever. I wasn’t really trying to take over. It was just ‘whatever we’ve gotta do’," as quoted by the BBC. The Knicks’ win puts them in a strong position to reach the finals for the first time since 2000, and they will be looking to seal the series in game five.
In related news, the Celtics will be looking to bounce back from this defeat and stay alive in the series. As the BBC reports, they will need to show great determination and skill to overcome the Knicks and extend their season. However, with Tatum’s injury status uncertain, it remains to be seen whether they will be able to achieve this. The BBC notes that the Celtics won game three on Saturday, but will need to repeat this performance to stay alive in the series.
The Boston Celtics’ chances of winning the series are now looking slim, and they will need to produce a remarkable comeback to overcome the Knicks. As reported by the BBC, the Celtics are on the brink of elimination, and it remains to be seen whether they will be able to overcome this deficit. One thing is certain, however: the Celtics will need to play some of their best basketball of the season to stay alive in the series.
Source: BBC Sport
