Knicks start fast, blow out Celtics 105-75

[January 18, 2021]  Julius Randle and RJ Barrett each posted double-doubles Sunday afternoon as the visiting New York Knicks snapped a five-game losing streak with their most lopsided win in almost five years, a 105-75 rout of the Boston Celtics.

The Knicks never trailed in producing their biggest margin of victory since March 9, 2016, when they defeated the Phoenix Suns, 128-97. It was also New York's most lopsided victory over the Celtics since a 102-70 win on Nov. 4, 1997.

The Celtics, who had their five-game winning streak snapped, suffered their most lopsided defeat since a 116-86 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 19, 2018. Boston's 75 points were its fewest in the regular season since an 83-75 loss to the Miami Heat on Jan. 1, 2015. They scored 72 in a playoff loss to the Atlanta Hawks in 2016.
 

Randle finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds while Barrett had 19 and 11, respectively. Immanuel Quickley had 17 points and a team-high eight assists off the bench while Obi Toppin (12 points) and Reggie Bullock (11 points) also got into double digits.

Jaylen Brown scored 25 points for the Celtics while Marcus Smart added 10 points. Kemba Walker, making his season debut, had nine points before leaving after a third-quarter collision with New York's Nerlens Noel. Jayson Tatum missed his second straight game due to COVID-19 concerns.

Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker (8) drives the ball against New York Knicks guard Elfrid Payton (6) in the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The two teams were tied just once, at 2-2 in the first quarter. A dunk by Randle gave the Knicks their first double-digit lead at 28-17 in the final minute of the opening period.

The Celtics pulled within six points at 35-29 on a dunk by Javonte Green with 6:37 left in the second, but Quickley scored six points in a 9-0 run, while Boston went 0 of 10 from the field over a span of 4:33.

The Celtics, who missed their first eight shots of the second half, got inside of 20 points for the last time at 62-44 on a 3-pointer by Daniel Theis with 5:32 left in the third quarter. The Knicks ended the third quarter on a 13-6 run, during which Boston went 2 of 9 from the field.

A layup by Barrett gave the Knicks their first 30-point lead of the season at 94-64 with 5:22 left. The basket came during a 12-0 run by New York that extended its lead to 101-64.

--Field Level Media
 

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