The New York Knicks are one victory away from clinching a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals after defeating reigning champions the Boston Celtics 121-113 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday AEST.
However, the Celtics will be sweating on the fitness of Jayson Tatum after the superstar sustained a non-contact ankle injury while attempting to retrieve a loose ball in the fourth quarter, writhing on the hardwood in pain. He was helped off the court and later spotted in tears while being ferried to the locker room in a wheelchair.
Tatum notched a game-high 42 points and eight rebounds before suffering his injury blow.
“The loss is the loss. More importantly, it’s Jayson I’m worried about,” Boston teammate Al Horford said.
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The Knicks, who were trailing by 11 points at half-time, now lead the seven-game series 3-1 following the eight-point triumph, leaving the Celtics with a mountain to climb for any chance of keeping their Playoffs campaign alive.
For the third time in this series, the hosts eliminated a big second-half Celtics lead, rallying from 14 down to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Just when it looked as if Boston were threatening to pull away, the Knicks flicked the switch at both ends of the court to kickstart a dramatic rally.
The Knicks outscored Boston by 22 points in the final 21 minutes, with chants of “Knicks in Five” echoing around the venue during the dying moments.
Jalen Brunson top-scored for the Knicks with 39 points, also contributing 12 assists and five rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges recorded 23 points each.
“Just found a way to make plays and get us going,” Brunson said afterwards of the second-half revival.
“I was just in a flow and doing whatever. I wasn’t really trying to take over. It was just ‘whatever we’ve gotta do’.
“We didn’t quit, kept fighting. And that’s what’s most important. Whenever you get in a hole you can’t quit.”
The Knicks have not qualified for the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000.
Game 5 gets underway at Boston’s TD Garden on Thursday at 9am AEST.
With AFP and New York Post
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