Celtics rout Knicks, stay alive with Game 5 win 127-102

The Boston Celtics returned home on the brink of elimination from the 2024-25 playoffs. Jayson Tatum’s injury had the national media already penning a Celtics obituary. However, the resilient Celtics survived in a scrappy, forceful and determined performance to force a Game 6 at Madison Square Garden and shift the weight of expectation back upon the Knicks with a massive 127-102 win.

With 10 points, 9 rebounds and 7 massive blocks, Luke Kornet was dominant in this one, as was Jaylen Brown, who had 26 points and 11 assists (a career high in assists). Derrick White led the C’s in scoring with 32 points, and Boston dominated the second half after the scores were level at the break.

The hope for Celtics nation coming into the game was that the C’s would keep their season alive for one additional road game, fueled by the glimmer of hope that they can overcome the daunting task of trying to win three straight games to progress into the conference finals. That dream looked closer

Mikal Bridges scored the first two-pointer of the game as he went to a fadeaway jumper over Holiday. Boston countered off a wide open corner triple from Derrick White. Holiday was active early on both ends as he spearheaded the Boston D to start the contest.

Derrick continued to pace the Celtics scoring, as he converted on his second three-pointer over a switching Karl Anthony Towns. Jalen Brunson did was he does best and attacked the Celtics back peddling bigs to score with a neat floater. Derrick White scored 9 of thew Boston’s opening 11 points as both teams were tied midway through the first.

Jaylen Brown coiled around a clever feed to the bench big, and Luke Kornet scored on his first touch of the game. The home crowd went into raptures after White’s fourth triple of the evening and a wide-open three by JB. The game began at a fast tempo, and Josh Hart subsequently drew blood after catching a stray elbow from Luke Kornet in transition.

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Sam Hauser finally returned to action for Boston late in the quarter, Torrey Craig also got an early look with minutes alongside a lineup of Pritchard, Kornet and Brown to round out the quarter. With Tatum out, Jaylen Brown shouldered more of the ball handling as he logged 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 5 points.

Hauser scored his first three-pointer off a Brown assist as the Celtics took a lead late in the quarter. However, Mitchell Robinson hit all 4 of his free-throw attempts to regain the upperhand, 32-30 after one. That marked the first New York Knick lead after a first quarter of the series.

Karl Anthony-Towns picked up his third foul of the game to start the second quarter and had to go to the bench, but the Knicks were getting good minutes from the bench with Mitchell Robinson and Myles McBride contributing on both ends to stretch the lead 40-32. Jaylen Brown attacked on the break to score layup past 2 Knicks. Al Horford nailed a corner three to get it back to 2 points, 42-40.

Chants of “Let’s go Celtics” rained down at TD Garden as Jaylen Brown got Boston back in the lead 46-44 on a three-pointer with a Knickerbocker draped all over him. Al Horford then dunked as he was left wide open in the key.

Hart hit consecutive threes, and for the home team White and Pritchard hit a pair of triples as both teams traded three-point buckets as the intensity was ramped up to the max. Jaylen Brown’s 15th point came on his third three-pointer to level things at 57 apiece. It wasn’t a pretty, but the scores were tied at 59 at the half. Boston was led by a tremendous Jaylen Brown half with 17 points, 7 boards and 6 assists, Derrick White had 19 points on 5-9 from distance.

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The start of the third quarter was highlighted by an early double-technical call, as Brown and Hart were whistled for a shoving altercation. Jrue Holiday muscled into the key for a layup followed up by Luke Kornet tipin. Jaylen Brown then picked Jalen Brunson’s pocket and dove into the Celtics bench to save the loose ball as last year’s finals MVP was leaving it all on the court for Boston.

Hart and White traded three-point baskets as the pace was frenetic to start the third, Boston up 69-67. Joe Mazzulla benched Kristaps to start the third and it was Luke Kornet who was providing better minutes in that double big role in this game. Brown drew KAT’s fourth foul and White drew Brunson’s third as the Celtics would play the final 8 minutes of the game in the bonus.

A Derrick White transition heat check three-pointer gave the hometown Celtics a seven point lead, 75-68, their biggest lead of the night. Jaylen Brown then picked up Jalen Brunson full court to force the All Star guard into a tough contested three-point missed shot.

Then, with an 81-70 lead, Boston’s defense was up to the challenge as Luke Kornet stopped Towns and Hart on consecutive plays. Unfortunately, Jaylen Brown missed both of his free throw tries. However, Boston extended the lead to 14 points when Sam Hauser came back into the game and made his second triple of the game right after.

A Jrue layup resulted from a nice give-and-go between Hauser and Holiday. After that, Brunson received his fourth foul of the evening when Jaylen Brown took the wheel. With two and a half minutes remaining in the quarter, White drove on Brunson once more after he received his fifth foul and was forced to sit. Luke was on fire for Boston, and Kornet’s sixth block of the evening was followed by a powerful slam.

Boston went into the final quarter up by 15 points in complete control. Luke Kornet was the star of the third, the bench big man had and dominate stretch of play, with 5 blocks, 4 rebounds and 4 points for the Celtics.

Al Horford gave the Celtics a 20-point lead to start the fourth, as Jalen Brunson returned to action for New York with 5 personal fouls. With nine minutes to go, Boston just had to hold on with a 20 point lead. Pritchard then nailed his fourth triple of the night, and Derrick White found the guard on the cut to layin his fourteenth point.

Brown then drove and dished to Holiday, as Boston went up by 23 points with seven minutes to go. Brunson then fouled out, as the Knicks could not match the Celtics toughness in this one. Luke Kornet then swatted Hart on a three pointer with his seventh of the evening. Boston closed it out strong at home with the starters getting a standing ovation.

The series now returns to Madison Square Garden for Game 6 on Friday.