Coulda, Shoulda Won. But a Tough Loss. Boston 119 NY 117 in OT

April 10, 2025 LouV 2024-25 0

The Knicks had the game won, leading by 3 points in the closing seconds when Jason Tatum hit a step-back 3 with OG Anunoby draped all over him and 3.7 seconds left to tie the game.

Josh Hart missed a potential game-winning 3 at the buzzer in regulation, and in OT, Kristaps Porzingis hit a tie-breaking 3 with 40 seconds left to give Boston the win. On a Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Porzingis was RED HOT all night from 3 — going 8-13 (and 11-19 overall for 34 pts), and Jayson Tatum was unstoppable from 3 late (32 pts on 11-22, including 4-11 from 3) — and yet the Knicks coulda, shoulda won. But didn’t.

A heartbreaking loss that showed NY could play with Boston at full tilt. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 34 pts (on 14-21 shooting, 1-3 from 3), and Jalen Brunson had 27 pts (on 10-21 shooting, 5-12 from 3).

“They’re the defending champions,” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards. “And until someone proves they can beat them, they’re defending their championship. We know there’s a lot of work for us to do. We’re still working through things. I thought Jalen gave us really good minutes. That’s a big plus. Each game he’ll get better and better. But the playoffs will be here shortly, so there’s an urgency to this.”

NY drops to 50-29, and are 2 games ahead of Indiana with 3 games to go. They need to win 1 game to clinch 3rd place in the East. Boston improves to 59-20.

1. Knicks Pull Out to 11-Pt Lead in 2nd Quarter

The Knicks came in with something to prove — having been creamed by the Celtics in all 3 prior matchups this season — a 132-109 thud to start the season, a 131-104 disaster in February in Boston, and a 118-105 thumping later in February.

But this time the Knicks were fully healthy — with Mitchell Robinson back, as well as Jalen Brunson (his 2nd game back after the 15-game absence with the severe ankle sprain), as well as Deuce McBride, and Cameron Payne — who were both out a few weeks recently with injuries.

And the Knicks have now had a full season of play to get newcomers Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Landry Shamet, and Cameron Payne in rhythm with the rest of the team.

Karl-Anthony Towns started out on Fire and NY took an early 14-7 and 20-12 lead before Boston came back and closed to 30-27 at the end of the 1st quarter.

But NY pushed the lead out to 11 points as Mitchell Robinson was a big difference maker inside at the start of the 2nd quarter, Cam Payne and Landry Shamet hit 3’s, and Jalen Brunson looked well oiled after showing rust the prior game — his first game back from missing 15 games.

Kristaps Porzingis was hitting 3 after 3 for Boston, while KAT was going at the Celtics inside and out. At one point midway thru the 3rd, KAT hit a drive, then an 8 footer, then a 16-footer for 6 straight points — then Porzingis responded with back-to-back 3’s.

OG Anunoby was playing frenetic defense — NY would have been out to a much larger lead had KP not been hitting 3 after 3.

“Tweeted this below on OG Anunoby in 2020,” noted NBA Analyst Ross Kreines —Β  referencing a tweet he made in 2020 when Anunoby was a Toronto Raptor. “Also, OG plays with a purpose, moves with a purpose and with his improved offensive game he has been putting his defender at his mercy whether knocking down the 3,attacking closeouts and his action off ball leads to open jumpers or an easy 2.”

Boston pulled within 2, but KAT and Brunson drives in the final minute gave NY a 6-pt halftime lead.

2. Boston Takes 6-Pt Lead in 3rd

But Jrue Holiday hit a 3, and then Kristaps Porzingis hit back-to-back 3’s at the start of the period to give Boston a 63-60 lead.

3. Knicks’ Defense Keeps them In It

But the Knicks laid down the D and stayed in the game. OG continued his phenomenal D, as did Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and the team in general.

Mitchell Robinson continued to be a difference maker for NY on D and the offensive boards.

4. Knicks Down 7 with 5 Minutes Left — Take Lead

Boston led by 5 entering the 4th. Cameron Payne hit a drive and a 3 early in the period for NY but Boston continued to have answers: Derrick White hit a 3, and Payton Pritchard hit a drive and Boston was up 6.

Jayson Tatum started going nuts — with a 3, a drive, and a killer 3 from the corner and Boston was up 100-93 with 4:58 left.

But NY hung tough — KAT with a drive and Brunson with a drive and NY was down 3.

KP hit a pullup, but Mikal Bridges answered with a pullup and NY was still down 3 with 3:02 left.

A Brunson drive pulled the Knicks to within 102-101 with 2:21 left.

An OG Anunoby offensive rebound and slam put NY up 103-102 with 1:29 left.

The Knicks’ D forced a bad-pass turnover by White, and Mikal Bridges hit a killer deuce down the other end and NY had a 105-102 lead with 50 seconds left as the Garden ROCKED.

5. NY “This Close” to a Win at End of Regulation

Tatum was fouled taking a 3 by KAT on the left side, but missed the 2nd of 3 free throws — so NY had a 1-pt lead, 105-104 with 35 seconds left.

The Knicks inbounded after a timeout, worked a play, and Brunson fed Hart for a drive and NY had a 107-104 lead with 11 seconds left!

But Boston ran it up court and Tatum hit the step-back 3 before NY had a chance to foul. Tie game.

“Made a tough play,” said coach Thibs afterwards. “There’s 12 seconds left, in transition, it’s tough because of the way he’s coming at you. He got inside the three, I think he went stepback. Made a shot.”

As far as not fouling Tatum, Thibs said “It’s time and situation. They inbounded the ball quickly, he’s coming at us and then if he’s in the shooting motion, you’re giving him the three shots. It wasn’t off a dead ball situation.”

NY called time and inbounded to Hart who missed a 3 at the buzzer and it was to OT.

6. Porzingis Killer 3 with 40 Seconds Left in OT

Boston took an early 3-pt lead in OT, but a KAT drive tied it at 110 with 2 minutes left.

Porzingis hit free throws, but a clutch 12-foot pullup by Brunson tied it again at 112 with 1:38 left.

Tatum missed a 3; Brunson missed a 3; and KP got a pass from Derrick White off a screen and nailed the killer 3 with 40 seconds left. Insult to injury — the NBA ruled White had walked in the post-game analysis.

Brunson missed a 3 with 19 seconds left — the Knicks got the offensive rebound, but on the ensuing inbound — KAT passed the ball to Bridges on the left baseline but Bridges took his eye off the ball and it bounded off him out of bounds.

Down 3 with 12 seconds left, the Knicks were forced to foul — and Jrue Holiday hit 2 free throws for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401705717

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