NBA news: Five key talking points ahead of Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks game six
It has been another whirlwind week in the NBA play-offs and no series has epitomised that more than the showdown between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks.
After a disastrous game four in the Big Apple, the Celtics were in a win-or-go-home scenario as the Knicks arrived at TD Garden.
To the home fans’ relief, Boston managed to beat the Knicks in dominant fashion – despite the absence of franchise star Jayson Tatum – and force a game six.
Sports News Blitz writer Ethan Pitts looks at five key talking points from game five ahead of Friday’s clash at Madison Square Garden.
Jaylen Brown’s dominant performance
As game four neared its conclusion, an already terrible evening for the Celtics turned into a disaster when franchise superstar Tatum had to be helped off the court with a ruptured achilles.
Tatum’s subsequent absence on Wednesday seemed to give Jaylen Brown a new lease on life as he scored 26 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, and provided a play-off high 12 assists.
Despite being the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, Brown has played second fiddle to Tatum this season, but he slotted back into the team with a dominant display at TD Garden.
On top of his impeccable offensive work, he ably took on the challenge of guarding Jalen Brunson, who was limited to 22 points off 17 shots and fouled out of the game after 33 minutes.
While nobody likes seeing a player get injured, especially a player who Brown has referred to as a “brother” in multiple interviews, Tatum’s unavailability may just have opened the door for a welcome return to form for Brown as his side looks to force a game seven.
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Karl-Anthony Towns’ foul trouble
Karl-Anthony Towns is a fantastic basketball player and has enjoyed a solid season for the Knicks.
However, his inability to avoid committing needless fouls is limiting the amount he can contribute to his side.
Towns has had three or more fouls by the end of the third quarter in every game this series – a stat that is simply unsustainable going forward, even if the Knicks manage to win.
In game five, Towns found himself in very early foul trouble, with two fouls early in the second quarter, and only played a little over two minutes more for Tom Thibodeau’s side as a result.
The self-proclaimed ‘best-scoring big man of all time’ has certainly performed well in the play-offs, but his consistent fouling may end up playing into Boston’s hands the more this series goes on.
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Kristaps Porzingis’ woes continue
The play-offs have been nothing short of a disaster for Celtics centre Kristaps Porzingis.
There is no doubting the qualities that the Latvian possesses, but his health has always been a huge concern wherever he has played and it is once again proving his demise.
Porzingis had a very consistent regular season, averaging just shy of 20 points per game.
Unfortunately, his play-off impact has been limited due to a mystery illness that is impacting his respiratory system and especially his ability to breathe.
After a bit-part first half for Porzingis in game five, he was benched for the entirety of the second half as the Celtics went on to dominate in his absence.
Porzingis has now been listed as questionable for game six, and it remains to be seen if he will return either in this series or for Boston overall.
“Hack-A-Mitch” strategy no more?
One of the main talking points in this series has been the “Hack-A-Mitch” tactic implemented by the Celtics to send New York centre Mitchell Robinson to the free-throw line.
Robinson is a notoriously poor free-throw shooter, and that was on display throughout the first four games of the series.
However, he looked like a man reborn from the line in game five when he shot 100% (6/6).
The strategy not only helped the Celtics but also limited Robinson’s impact on the court as the Knicks had to sub him out of the game on multiple occasions to avoid him being sent to the line.
However, if Robinson can continue game five’s successful performance from the line, Boston might have to rethink their strategy against a formidable Knicks attack.
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Luke Kornet explodes at TD Garden
Game five was unquestionably the ‘Luke Kornet game’.
While Brown and Derrick White were unstoppable offensively, Kornet was the unlikely candidate who dragged the Celtics across the line.
He provided tremendous effort, accumulating 10 points at 100% efficiency and making a frankly ridiculous seven blocks as he proved a nuisance for the Knicks offence all night long.
The Celtics had struggled defensively of late, with their customary centre rotation of Porzingis and Al Horford not up to scratch, but the former’s illness gave Kornet a platform to showcase his ability and he did not let the opportunity pass him by.
And with Porzingis now sidelined, Kornet is set to play a massive role in this series from this point on.
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