Knicks come up huge at home to take 3-1 lead over Celtics as Boston loses star to apparent leg injury
By Wayne Sterling, CNN
(CNN) — The New York Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics 121-113 on Monday at Madison Square Garden to take a 3-1 series lead.
Down by as many as 14 points in the third quarter, New York ended the period on a 12-2 run to take an 88-85 lead into the fourth.
With less than six minutes remaining in regulation of a tied 102-102 game, Knicks forward OG Anunoby drained a three-pointer to give the Knicks a 105-102 lead, which New York would not relinquish.
Four Knicks players scored at least 20 points. Jalen Brunson finished with 39 points, 12 assists and five rebounds. Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each had 23 points and Anunoby added 20.
After the victory, Brunson discussed the comeback, the win and extending the series lead.
“It means a lot. It’s a big game for us, just the way we responded, is what I’m most proud of, sticking together and making sure we are not quitting,” Brunson said at the postgame news conference.
“That’s a tough team over there. Obviously, we want to get off to better starts but they got experience. They’re the defending champs for a reason.”
Jayson Tatum carried off court
Late in the fourth quarter, Celtics six-time All-Star forward Jayson Tatum went down with an apparent non-contact injury as he tried to go after a loose ball. He quickly grabbed his right ankle and was in a lot of pain for a while.
Tatum was helped off the court as he couldn’t put any pressure on his right leg. He was taken through the tunnel at MSG in a wheelchair.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game Tatum suffered a “lower body injury” and will have an MRI on Tuesday.
“You are always worried about someone’s health,” Mazzulla told reporters. “He’s the type of guy that gets right up. He didn’t and we’ll know tomorrow exactly what it is. It’s tough to watch a guy like him getting carried off like that.”
Tatum finished with a game-high 42 points, tying Celtics legends Larry Bird and John Havlicek for the most 40-point postseason games in franchise history. Tatum also had eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks in 40 minutes.
“That’s our brother, hate to see him go down. We know the type of guy he is. It’s tough to see him go down,” Celtics guard Derrick White, who scored 23 points in the loss, said after the game. “We just have to find a way to win game five.”
Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, who finished with 20 points and seven rebounds, said it was “tough” seeing Tatum go down.
“Tonight is tough. I think everybody is kind of at a loss of words just because, one losing a game, but obviously, the concern with JT. But we pick our heads back up tomorrow and go from there,” Brown said.
Brunson said he’s “praying for the best” for Tatum.
“We want to go out there and compete, but when a player of his caliber goes down and he’s rolling in pain like that, you know something is wrong, so that why I gave my thoughts and prayers because you never want to see something like that ever. ”
The Knicks will look to eliminate the defending NBA champion Celtics on Wednesday in Boston.
The-CNN-Wire
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