Knicks Secure Advantageous 2-0 Lead over Celtics with Pivotal Game-Winning Theft by Mikal Bridges
Rewritten Article:
Swinging the Ball, Not Shying Away
Last July, the New York Knicks boldly declared their ambition by trading away four unprotected first-round picks and three players to the Brooklyn Nets, snagging versatile wing player Mikal Bridges. In a moves-driven league, the Knicks' commitment to the present, not the future, was clear. They believed Bridges could anchor their resurgence, and on Wednesday night, he proved them right.
With three seconds left on the clock, Bridges, who had struggled early in the game, stripping the ball from Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, clinching New York's thrilling 91-90 triumph at the TD Garden in Boston. In the fourth quarter alone, Bridges, who had missed his first eight shots, racked up 14 points, leading the Knicks to an incredible comeback from a 20-point second-half deficit for the second consecutive game, seizing a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals series.
Bridges wasn't the only player who shone for the third-seeded Knicks, as they wrested the lead away from the reigning NBA champion, second-seeded Celtics. Karl-Anthony Towns, another acquisition from the offseason, tallied 21 points and a game-high 17 rebounds, while Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson, Bridges' former teammates at Villanova, scored 23 points and 17 points respectively. Off the bench, the energetic Mitchell Robinson, with a +19 performance in 22 minutes, provided valuable contributions on both ends of the court.
Another clutch play by Brunson put the Knicks in the lead for the first time that night, with his jumper at 1:59, though it was Brunson's layup with 56.5 seconds remaining that sealed the deal, providing a three-point lead, and his two free throws later establishing a two-point advantage with just 12.7 seconds left. The Celtics, holding a timeout, elected to let their players decide the game, resulting in a dramatic finish.
Tatum, dribbling upcourt, met Robinson near the three-point line before driving towards the middle. Bridges and OG Anunoby then doubled-teamed Tatum near the baseline as he fell to the floor. Tatum attempted to pass the ball to the left wing's Jaylen Brown, but Bridges swiped it away, securing the hard-fought victory for New York.
The Celtics, who had led 84-68 with 8:40 left in the game, missed their next 14 shots, only breaking the streak when Tatum drove the court for a dunk and 90-89 lead with 18.5 seconds remaining. Two days after setting a playoff record with 45 missed three-pointers in Game 1, the Celtics managed just 10 of 40 three-pointers (25%) on Wednesday night, including 2 of 11 in the fourth quarter. Tatum and Brown, the Celtics' top scorers, struggled throughout the game, with Tatum tallying 13 points on 5 out of 19 shots and Brown scoring 20 on 8 out of 23 attempts.
In the fourth quarter, Brown was held scoreless and missed all four of his field-goal attempts, while Tatum managed four points and scored just one of five shots. "I thought we executed and got some really good looks that we missed and then I thought we had some live ball turnovers, just making the wrong read," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. "I would say it's about 60-40 where we got some open looks, we've got to make them and then we've got to do a better job executing, especially not having live ball turnovers."
As the series moves to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon, the Knicks find themselves in a commanding position. Historically, teams that take a 2-0 lead in a seven-game series have a 92.6% chance of winning it, making the odds challenging for the opposing team to come back[3][4]. However, history has shown that it's not impossible for teams to recover from such deficits, with legendary teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers defying the odds in their respective series[1][3].
While the Knicks have not had a specific historical comeback to reference, they are mindful of their past failures, particularly in 2021 when they lost a 2-0 lead to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The franchise, which has not made it to the Conference Finals since 2000, is wary of complacency, knowing better than most not to take anything for granted. However, with their fierce comebacks on the road, the Knicks should enter Game 3 with a sense of confidence, ready to face a raucous home crowd.
- Mikal Bridges, recently acquired by the New York Knicks, demonstrated his value on Wednesday night, stripping the ball from Jayson Tatum in the final seconds, securing a scoreless fourth quarter for Boston Celtics' star, and clinching the Knicks' 91-90 victory in an NBA playoff game.
- In the Eastern Conference semifinals series, the Knicks, especially in the fourth quarter, have shown a remarkable ability to come back from significant deficits, with Mikal Bridges leading the charge. In the second consecutive game, Bridges racked up 14 points after missing his first eight shots, propelling the Knicks to a 2-0 lead.
- The Knicks' roster, particularly Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, and Mitchell Robinson, shone in the game against the Celtics, surpassing the second-seeded team that holds the title of the reigning NBA champion.
- The Boston Celtics struggled in the game, with their top scorers Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combining for 23 out of 42 shots, while missing their next 14 shots in the fourth quarter, ultimately contributing to their scoreless final minutes and the loss to the New York Knicks.
