The New York Knicks lost a heartbreaker last night at home to the Boston Celtics. They were bested 119-117 in an OT thriller. The game went back and forth in the fourth quarter and OT. Boston showcased its championship pedigree by coming up clutch in the closing moments. Jayson Tatum made a three-pointer with 3.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter to send the game to OT.
New York cost itself the game in overtime when Mikal Bridges took his eye off the ball and lost it out of bounds. That put the Knicks beyond the eight ball as they suffered another crushing defeat. Tuesday night’s loss was the latest in a troubling trend for the team as they are 0-9 against the NBA’s three-best teams. They are 0-4 against the Celtics, 0-3 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and 0-2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Will the New York Knicks overcome these issues come playoff time?
New York Knicks Season Summary
New York has had another strong regular season. They are the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 50-29 record. They need either another win or an Indiana Pacers loss to lock up the third seed in the NBA Playoffs. The Knicks have been paced by their offense this year. They are ninth in points scored, fourth in field goal percentage, and ninth in three-point percentage
The Knicks have struggled on defense this year. They are ninth in points allowed, 22nd in opposing field goal percentage, and 26th in opposing three-point percentage. New York has been led this year by Point Guard Jalen Brunson and Center Karl-Anthony Towns. They were both named NBA All-Stars and Brunson is returning from a prolonged absence. Small Forward OG Anunoby played the best basketball of his career in Brunson’s absence.
Final Thoughts
The New York Knicks return to the court Thursday night when they visit the Detroit Pistons. New York has one more chance to defeat a top team when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday. The Knicks must get a win against a top-flight team to avoid going an unconscionable 0-10. A lack of success against the NBA’s best gives the New York Knicks a hard postseason ceiling.Â
