NBA news: Boston Celtics force decisive Game 6 against the New York Knicks
The Boston Celtics overcome injury woes to triumph over the New York Knicks to stay alive in the playoffs.
Despite missing star power forward Jayson Tatum due to a torn Achilles, the Celtics refused to bow out, delivering a dominant 127-102 win over the New York Knicks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference second-round series at TD Garden.
This victory cut the Knicks’ series lead to 3-2, setting up a crucial Game 6 at Madison Square Garden on Friday, writes Sports News Blitz’s Noah Ngcobo.
Unexpected heroes step up for Celtics
In Tatum’s absence, the Celtics leaned heavily on Derrick White and Luke Kornet to carry the load.
White led all scorers with a blistering 34 points, connecting on seven three-pointers, while Kornet came off the bench to deliver a defensive masterclass with seven blocks, 10 points on perfect shooting, and nine rebounds.
Jaylen Brown nearly recorded a triple-double with 26 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds.
Supporting cast, Payton Pritchard and Jrue Holiday combined for 31 points, fuelling Boston’s decisive third-quarter surge that included an 11-0 run.
Boston’s defence smothered New York’s frontcourt.
Kornet’s rim protection stifled the Knicks’ key players in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Mitchell Robinson.
Porzingis struggles on his return
Kristaps Porzingis, returned from injury into the starting lineup and was held to just one point in 12 minutes.
The Celtics big man struggled to find his rhythm, shooting 0-for-3 and contributing only a single rebound and block.
Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla addressed Porzingis’ limited impact in his postgame interview, revealing that the big man has been battling breathing difficulties since the regular season, which significantly affected his performance.
Knicks struggle to find offensive rhythm
The Knicks started to significantly fall behind in the contest despite an early lead of nine points in the first half.
Jalen Brunson scored 22 points but fouled out midway through the fourth quarter, leaving the team without a key scorer down the stretch.
Josh Hart led New York with 24 points and seven rebounds, but the Knicks’ overall shooting was a season-low 35.8 percent from the field.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: NBA news: LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo - LA Lakers’ bold vision for the NBA’s most dominant big three
Bridges and Anunoby combined for just 5-of-26 shooting, a testament to the Celtics’ suffocating defense.
Physicality marked the contest, with several hard fouls intensifying the tension, indicative of both teams’ seasons at stake in the closing stretch of this series.
Notably, Hart was left bloodied after an elbow from Kornet, and Brown was knocked down by an elbow from Brunson, though officials ruled these as common basketball contact.
Looking ahead to a decisive Game 6
With their backs against the wall, the Celtics are now heading to Madison Square Garden needing a win to keep their season alive.
Boston’s resilience, led by White’s sharpshooting and Kornet’s defensive presence, has set the stage for a high-stakes Game 6 showdown on Friday.
The Knicks, meanwhile, will look to regain offensive stability through Brunson and co.
Improved contributions from Porzingis will be paramount to Boston’s success considering their aim to snatch the series from the brink of defeat, in the absence of their central catalyst, in Tatum.
READ NEXT: MMA news: UFC President Dana White offers major updates ahead of UFC 317 and UFC 319
