Knicks take a 2-0 lead over the
Celtics after coming from 20 down again to win 91-90
[May 08, 2025]
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
BOSTON (AP) — For the second straight game, the New York Knicks
found themselves in a hole the Boston Celtics have rarely let teams
out of this season.
The Knicks again found a way — almost the same way, in fact — to
pull off the improbable. And now they are two wins away from
knocking the defending champions out of the playoffs.
Mikal Bridges sealed another 20-point comeback with his second
straight game-ending steal and the Knicks stunned the Celtics again
Wednesday night, winning 91-90 for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern
Conference semifinals.
“Just finding ways to win," Bridges said.
Jalen Brunson scored 17 points for New York and made two free throws
with 12.7 seconds left for a 91-90 lead. Jayson Tatum then couldn’t
get to the rim and Bridges moved in to bat the ball away and recover
it.
Bridges also scored all of his 14 points in the fourth quarter. Josh
Hart had 23 points and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 21 points
and 17 rebounds for the Knicks, who will host Game 3 on Saturday.
“Going home we realize the opportunity we have. We just have to stay
locked in,” Brunson said.
Jaylen Brown and Derrick White scored 20 points apiece for the
Celtics, who were 10 for 40 from 3-point range after going 15 for 60
in Game 1.
Tatum was limited to 13 points on 5-for-19 shooting for the Celtics,
who went more than eight minutes without a field goal in the fourth
quarter. They missed 13 consecutive shots during the stretch.
Teams that win the first two games of a best-of-seven series on the
road win the series 85.7% of the time. The Knicks took the opener
when Bridges stole the ball away from Brown with a second left in
overtime.
“Opportunity to show what we’re made of,” Brown said of a Boston
team that swept New York 4-0 in the regular season.
“We’ve got to respond.”
Kristaps Porzingis didn’t start after sitting out the second half of
Game 1 with an illness. He came off the bench for just the fifth
time in his NBA career and finished with eight points and four
rebounds in 14 minutes.
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New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) and center Mitchell Robinson
(23) celebrate after defeating the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of an
NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 7, 2025,
in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
All eyes were on the Celtics’ offense after they
missed an NBA playoff-record 45 3-pointers in their Game 1 loss.
They went 24 for 54 from 2-point range Wednesday.
Despite their shooting struggles, the Celtics found some traction
late in the third quarter, using a 16-6 run – keyed by their effort
on the defensive end – to turn a 10-point lead into a 73-53
advantage late in the period.
It was 84-68 after Payton Pritchard's 3-pointer with 8:40 to play
but the Celtics wouldn't make another basket until Tatum's driving
dunk with 18.5 seconds remaining.
New York cut it to 86-82 on a floater by Hart before Towns'
three-point play cut it to 86-85. Tatum missed a jumper, and Brunson
made an 18-footer to put New York in front.
A jumper by Brown rolled off the rim on Boston’s next trip up the
floor. Brunson then found a lane to the basket and dropped in a
layup to make it 89-86.
Tatum connected on a pair of free throws and then got it back
following a New York miss that rolled out of bounds with 24.2
seconds left.
Trailing 89-88, Tatum pushed the ball in to the front court and
drove easily past Mitchell Robinson for a dunk to put the Celtics
back in front.
Brunson was fouled and connected on both free throws.
Hart said they are going home knowing they can still play better.
“I don’t even think we know what we’re capable of," he said.
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