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The reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics’ playoff hopes were already precarious when, in the final minutes of Game 4 in New York, lost possession of the ball. Boston, the 2024 titleholder, was down 111-104, after having led by as much as 14 points earlier in the third.
However, the situation was about to worsen significantly.
Following Brown’s turnover, teammate , who had scored a remarkable 42 points for Boston, suffered an injury. New York’s OG Anunoby secured the loose ball, dribbled down the court, and scored an uncontested dunk, essentially sealing the game for New York. Adding insult to injury, Tatum, a three-time All-NBA first-team selection, collapsed on the court, clutching his right leg and requesting a timeout. Brown and veteran Celtics forward Al Horford stood by as medical personnel attended to Tatum, who was eventually helped off the court by two Celtics staff members, unable to put weight on his leg. He disappeared into the locker room area.
Boston’s chances for a consecutive championship may have disappeared along with him.
Shortly after, Tatum was seen being wheeled down the hallway, visibly upset and in pain. New York went on to win Game 4 with a score of 121-113.
After the game, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla informed reporters that he only knew that Tatum had sustained a lower leg injury, and that an MRI scheduled for Tuesday would reveal the full extent of the damage.
The Knicks now hold a 3-1 series lead, putting them one win away from eliminating Boston. Over the past five years, no NBA team has successfully overcome a 3-1 deficit. Historically, teams with a 3-1 lead in an NBA playoff series win more than 95% of the time.
While the Knicks aim to close out the series in Game 5 in Boston on Wednesday, they prefer to do so against a healthy Celtics team. “I never want to see a player get hurt,” stated New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. “I hope it’s not a serious injury.”
“Prayers up to JT,” said Knicks guard , whose 39 points and 12 assists were crucial in New York’s Game 4 victory. “I want to say that first and foremost.”
The Knicks have now overcome deficits of 20, 20, and 14 points in their three wins against Boston in this series, placing them one victory away from reaching the conference finals for the first time in 25 years. Brunson, New York’s reliable All-Star point guard, spearheaded the effort, particularly in the third quarter, scoring 18 points to give New York a lead of 88-85 at the period’s end. Brunson is a difficult matchup, even for Boston’s excellent perimeter defenders, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. Despite being only 6’2”, Brunson’s ability to vary his pace and control his movements allows him to generate the space he needs to make shots against taller defenders. “No moment,” says Thibodeau, “is too big for him.”
New York’s Mikal Bridges, Brunson’s college teammate at, who joined New York this year, added multiple jump shots in the fourth quarter, providing the Knicks with another offensive option. Bridges’ height and long reach create problems for smaller defenders and generate matchup difficulties for opponents. Bridges finished with 23 points, complementing the Knicks’ balanced attack: Karl-Anthony Towns also contributed 23 points, and Anunoby added 20.
The Knicks needed this kind of comprehensive victory to prove they could be the better team. Prior to this game, Boston had generally outplayed New York throughout the series. New York needed late comebacks to secure their two wins in Boston, and the Celtics dominated Game 3 with a 115-93 victory. The common expectation entering the game was that Boston had found its rhythm and would demonstrate its dominance moving forward. When Tatum scored 11 points in the final 1:44 of the first quarter, making a mid-range shot and three three-pointers, including a deep pull-up, Boston appeared poised to validate those predictions.
However, the Knicks refused to give in. By the end of the third quarter, their defensive pressure and switches forced the Celtics into contested three-pointers that they were no longer making consistently, and they consistently beat Boston to offensive rebounds. The Garden crowd, eager for a deep playoff run for the first time since the, drew energy from this performance. These Knicks looked like a challenging opponent, even before Tatum’s injury.
“I don’t even think we’re playing our best basketball yet,” says Brunson.
The numbers suggest that a new NBA champion is likely on the horizon. And Knicks fans, who have waited since their last NBA title, now have every reason to believe, and say to themselves … “why not us?”
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