Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown powered the Boston Celtics to a 118-105 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday, extending their winning streak to five games. Tatum finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists, just missing a second consecutive triple-double.
Brown added 24 points and eight rebounds, while Derrick White contributed 19 points as Boston (41-16) remained dominant against New York this season.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 24 points, and Jalen Brunson had 22, but New York (37-20) struggled to recover from a sluggish start. The Celtics built a commanding 77-50 lead early in the third quarter before the Knicks mounted a late push.
New York cut the deficit to 95-89 early in the fourth after a driving layup by Mikal Bridges, but Boston responded with a decisive 10-0 run. Brown capped the surge with six straight points, putting the game out of reach.
Boston’s strong three-point shooting and defensive pressure set the tone early. The Celtics opened the first quarter with a 38-19 advantage and never trailed, overwhelming New York on both ends of the floor.
Kristaps Porzingis played a key role in the fourth quarter, finishing with 15 points, seven rebounds, and a highlight-reel one-handed slam off a White inbounds pass. The play ignited the TD Garden crowd and halted the Knicks’ momentum.
Boston’s defensive effort was led by Jrue Holiday, who recorded three steals and helped limit Brunson’s impact in the second half. Al Horford and Luke Kornet provided valuable minutes off the bench, combining for 12 points and six rebounds.
Despite the loss, Josh Hart made a strong return for the Knicks after missing two games with a sore right knee. He filled the stat sheet with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, but New York couldn’t overcome Boston’s early dominance.
The Knicks, coming off a 37-point loss to Cleveland, struggled to find consistency offensively. They shot 43.5% from the field and were outrebounded 49-40. Towns led the effort on the boards with 18 rebounds, but Boston’s balance proved too much.
With the win, the Celtics remained in second place in the Eastern Conference, keeping pressure on the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks sit in third and will look to bounce back in their next game.
