Knicks Storm Back — But Still Get Thumped. Boston 118 NY 105

February 24, 2025 LouV 2024-25 0
Josh Hart was back from missing 2 games and scored 20 pts on 8-14 shooting with 11 rebounds and 9 assists. Photo courtesy NY Knicks.

The Knicks finally showed signs of life against one of the elite 3 teams in the NBA — Boston, Cleveland, and Oklahoma — whom they have been Crushed by in all games this year.

Boston jumped out to a huge lead and were crushing NY throughout the 1st half — up by 21 at the break and by 27 early in the 3rd. But this time the Knicks found their pulse and their pride, and stormed back — pulling to within 4 points with 11:32 to go in the 4th quarter.

The Celtics pushed back, and then really went to town when Karl-Anthony Towns went out after slightly twisting his knee on a missed dunk with 8:36 left. Boston took advantage of the small Knick lineup — hitting 3’s, making plays, and pulling back out to an 18-pt lead within minutes.

On a Sunday afternoon in Boston; a nationally televised game on ABC.

“We got in a hole early; that hurt us,” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards. “We were much better in the 2nd quarter, and then I thought we played really well in the 3rd. And then we got it down to 4 at the start of the 4th — 89-85 — and then on a dead ball we gave up a 3. That hurt us, right there. And they went on a 12-4 run right there.”

NY falls to 37-20, tied with Memphis and Denver for the 4th best record in the NBA. Boston improves to 41-16.

1. Boston THUMPS Knicks from the Start

The Knicks came into the game looking to show that they could play with the elite 3 teams in the NBA — having just been blown out by Cleveland on Friday night, and having been blown out by Boston last time they met 3 weeks ago, and having been blown out by Oklahoma this year.

But the Knicks failed their litmus test — Boston was all over them from the start — their manic defense thwarting Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson — who both got off to slow offensive starts.

Boston meanwhile scored and scored and scored — hitting 3’s from all over the place, and then defending and getting into the open court while NY was slow getting back on Defense.

  • Derrick White was hitting 3 after 3 (finishing with 19 pts on 7-10 shooting, 5-6 from 3);
  • Jrue Holiday was getting inside for buckets (14 pts on 6-9 shooting, 2-4 from 3);
  • Jaylen Brown was doing his thing (24 pts on 10-21 shooting, 2-7 from 3); and
  • Jayson Tatum was lethal as usual (25 pts on 8-20 shooting, 3-7 from 3).

To add continued insult to injury, former Knick Luke Kornet came in off the bench and did damage inside on offense and defense — he scored 8 pts on 3-4 shooting in 14 minutes.

At least the Knicks — Miles McBride especially — were doing a good job shutting down Payton Pritchard (3 pts on 1-5 shooting).

It wasn’t as if the Knicks weren’t trying — but Boston’s D defended NY well and everything the Knicks got was hard fought.

2. Boston Up 27 in the 3rd

The Fox halftime announcers thrashed the Knicks as pretenders — including Kendrick Perkins who has been a big believer in the Knicks the last 2 years. And then came the 3rd quarter and Boston went up even further — up by 27 pts after a Jayson Tatum 3 with 8:20 left in the quarter.

3. Knicks Storm Back in 3rd — Led by KAT & Brunson

Then — finally — the Knicks started to show signs of life, starting with a 3 by Karl-Anthony Towns, and then free throws off a drive by Towns, and then a 3 by Towns — 8 straight points and NY was down 19.

Holiday hit a 3 but Towns answered with a drive and then Jalen Brunson started to break free for scores — with a floater and a 3 and NY was within 15.

The Knick D intensified and Boston started to throw the ball away.

Josh Hart joined the fray with a tip-in and then Brunson again with a drive and then a pullup and NY was within 11 pts.

A KAT drive pulled NY to within 9.

Hart hit a drive-and-1, and then Brunson hit two 3’s late in the quarter — and NY was within 7 pts — 89-82 to start the 4th.

4. NY Pulls Within 4 Pts Early in 4th

As play in the 4th quarter started the National Broadcast aired the quick sideline interview they did with Derrick White at the break — and just as he was saying Boston was still up 7 and in good shape — KAT simultaneously nailed a 3 and NY was within 4 pts with 11:32 to go.

White responded with a 3 — but KAT responded to that with a floater and NY was down 5.

But White responded to the response — hitting ANOTHER 3 — off the dead ball as Thibodeau mentioned (above) — and Boston was up 8.

Mikal Bridges came to life, slicing for a bucket — but Jrue Holiday methodically scored inside against the smaller Miles McBride. Cameron Payne missed a 3 and Porzingis dunked off a Derrick White assist and Boston was back up 10.

5. Boston THUMPS Knicks at End

And then KAT drove against Porzingis but missed a dunk in traffic, twisting his knee slightly as he went out of bounds. KAT was soon on the sidelines massaging his knee, and Boston took advantage of the small Knick team — with the 6’8 Precious Achiuwa the Knick center.

Jaylen Brown scored 3 straight buckets and Boston was up 16 with 7:26 left.

Mikal Bridges answered with a drive but Jaylen Brown hit a 3 and NY was down by 17 with 5:58 left.

KAT Returns; Missing Mitch

Good news for the Knicks: KAT came back into the game with 4:12 left, but Boston was up by 18. The Knicks were clearly missing a big defensive center for example Mitchell Robinson.

NY fought valiantly down the stretch but they were gassed and Boston was back up 21.

Mikal Bridges scored 3 buckets in the final minute — including two 3’s — while Boston let the 24 second clock run out for sportsmanship. Bridges’ 8 pts in the final minute reduced the final deficit to 13 pts.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401705377

 

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