The Boston Celtics’ postseason dreams are spiraling after another collapse… and now, potentially, without their superstar. On Monday night, the New York Knicks pulled off yet another stunning comeback, rallying from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to beat Boston 121-113 and take a commanding 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Boston had control early, but the momentum shifted drastically after the Knicks exploded with a 30-13 run to end the third quarter. With Madison Square Garden roaring, the Knicks outdueled the Celtics in the fourth, sealing the win with an 18-5 surge that left Boston reeling.
The biggest blow came not on the scoreboard, but on the floor. Jayson Tatum, who had been electric with 42 points and seven made three-pointers, went down with a non-contact leg injury while diving for a loose ball. Tatum immediately called a timeout and was helped off the court, later seen in the locker room covering his face… a moment that sent shockwaves through Celtics Nation.
With Tatum’s health in serious question and Boston now down 3-1, the Knicks are just one win away from their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000. Four Knicks starters topped 20 points, with Jalen Brunson dropping a game-high 39 to lead the charge.
Game 5 heads back to Boston, where the Knicks already won Games 1 and 2. The Celtics now face the daunting task of pulling off just the 14th 3-1 comeback in NBA history… something no team has done since the 2020 Denver Nuggets. And to do it, they may need to win a Game 7 on the road, a feat not accomplished since the Cavaliers shocked the Warriors in the 2016 Finals.
With their season on the brink and their superstar possibly sidelined, the Celtics are in crisis mode. Meanwhile, New York is inching closer to rewriting their postseason legacy… and the city that never sleeps is dreaming big again.
