The Knicks can compete. Contending is another matter.
After losing three straight losses to the Celtics by knockout — by an average of more than 17 points — the Knicks finally took the defending champs to the final bell, yet still left Madison Square Garden the victims of a regular-season sweep, watching the most thrilling and meaningful victory of the season slip through their fingers after allowing a game-tying 3-pointer to Jayson Tatum with 2.9 seconds left in regulation and falling in overtime, 119-117, to Boston.
While Karl-Anthony Towns put up 34 points and 14 rebounds, the Knicks’ former beloved big man, Kristaps Porzingis, took advantage of the Knicks’ lax perimeter defense, scoring 34 points (eight 3-pointers), including a tie-breaking 3 with 41.2 seconds left in overtime.
Tatum finished with 32 points.
Following Porzingis’ final shot, the Knicks had an opportunity to tie the game, but Mikal Bridges dropped a pass out-of-bounds.
Jrue Holiday then made four clutch free throws in the closing 12.1 seconds and Jalen Brunson made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it a two-point defeat.
Entering with five wins in their previous six games, the Knicks (50-29) have now won just one of their past eight games against teams over .500 — falling to 12-20 against winning teams this season — and have gone nearly two calendar years since last beating the Celtics at home. They are 0-9 against the top three teams in the NBA.
The Knicks’ loss — combined with a Pacers’ win — leaves their magic number at one for the No. 3 seed in the East, setting up a potential second round matchup with Boston (59-20), which has won 12 of its past 13 games and is now locked into the No. 2 seed.