Inside The Celtics

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss vs. Knicks: Boston's Offense Hurts Its Defense in Overtime Defeat

Celtics stage late fourth-quarter rally but can't capitalize on overtime opportunities in loss to the Knicks.

Bobby Krivitsky

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
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Thursday night at TD Garden, the Celtics lost their third-straight game, suffering a stinging 120-117 overtime defeat at the hands of their rival from New York.

Boston generated a ton of quality shots that didn't go down, but as the evening went on, that reality became increasingly problematic, including fueling the Knicks' transition attack.

When the Celtics had time to set up their half-court defense, it allowed them to play with greater physicality and force stops. But whether it was bad luck or someone making the wrong read -- the hosts had 13 turnovers, leading to 22 points for New York -- too often, Boston paid for what transpired when it had the ball.

After the loss, Joe Mazzulla expressed, "A missed layup at the rim is as good as a turnover."

Mazzulla's frustration and disappointment with his team's inconsistency was evident. Earlier in his presser, he conveyed, "It was a hard-fought game for the most of it, but great teams know why they're good and know why all the time."

On the heels of earning his fourth All-Star Game selection, where he'll start for the third-straight year, Jayson Tatum produced a team-high 35 points and matched Jericho Sims for the most rebounds, grabbing 14. Tatum also dished out four assists and had a steal and a block.

But Julius Randle had a monster night as he vies for an All-Star selection, registering 37 points, leading all participants, and corralling nine rebounds.

New York's other potential All-Star, Jalen Brunson, also had a huge hand in the visitors' win, finishing with 29 points, seven assists, and four rebounds.

Now, a deep dive into what stood out as the Knicks fought their way to a win at TD Garden in a game that required a fifth frame.

Celtics' Ball Movement, Energy, and Effort on the Defensive Glass Key Them in First Quarter

The Celtics made a concerted effort to keep the Knicks off the glass in the opening frame, getting bodies on bodies; box outs that resulted in no offensive rebounds for a Knicks team that shot 47.8 percent from the field in the first 12 minutes.

Boston also displayed excellent ball movement throughout the quarter. It was at the root of the hosts shooting 6/12 from beyond the arc.

That facilitation also generated quite a few good looks that didn't go down, like corner threes for Derrick White and Jaylen Brown and a Grant Williams pull-up from the baseline that spun in and out.

Payton Pritchard, in a productive first shift, not hesitating to let it fly, buried a three off the catch from the left wing, giving the hosts a 32-24 advantage with 2:03 left in the period. He followed that up by cleaning up a Jaylen Brown missed dunk, with the latter getting stuffed by the rim on a breakaway jam.

Brown also missed a layup with 4.8 seconds left, leading to one for RJ Barrett, breaking out when the former went up. That trimmed Boston's lead to 34-26 entering the second quarter.

Julius Randle led all scorers in the opening frame, producing 14 points. That included doing well not to get run off the three-point line as White sprinted to him, pump faking, holding his ground as White flew by him, then burying an open three. He also had a vicious dunk over Al Horford.

Jayson Tatum paced the Celtics with 12 points on 5/5 shooting, including 2/2 from beyond the arc.

Brown, who played all 12 minutes, scored seven and matched Robert Williams with four rebounds, the most in the period.

Malcolm Brogdon and Second Chances Help Boston Enter Halftime with the Lead

For the hosts, the theme of good looks not going down carried over into the second quarter. That included a White missed layup, leading to a breakaway opportunity for Obi Toppin that tied the game at 34.

The following trip down the floor, Tatum, stopping a potential fast break after committing a turnover, picked up a take foul, giving New York a free throw plus the ball back.

Immanuel Quickley capitalized at the charity stripe, but Sam Hauser held his own against Barrett in the low post, influencing a miss that led to Hauser burying an open three at the other end. That put Boston ahead 37-35 at the 9:10 mark.

Malcolm Brogdon, who had an excellent second quarter, repeatedly got the ball deep into the paint -- as he's known to do -- often leading to points for his teammates.

That included a sequence where he did so, then kicked the ball out to Horford for a three from the left wing, following it up by getting to the rim for a layup that gave the Celtics a 51-47 edge.

Boston, needing to do something about its lack of shooting luck, also got gritty on the offensive glass, generating 14 second-chance points, including nine in the second quarter.

A sequence where Tatum cleaned up a Brown missed three, with the latter then finishing through contact, cleaning up a Brogdon missed layup on the Celtics' next possession, pulled the hosts ahead 60-58 entering halftime.

Tatum led all scorers at the break with 16 points on 7/10 shooting. He also grabbed six rebounds.

Brown had 12 points and seven rebounds, pacing all participants in the latter category after the game's first 24 minutes.

After assisting on 6/10 makes in a second quarter where Boston shot 47.6 percent from the field, the home team had ten assists on 22 field goals, maintaining excellent ball movement even as shots didn't drop.

But the Knicks producing 28 points in the paint, aided by scoring 12 off six Celtics turnovers, kept them close. Going 7/18 (38.9 percent) on threes also helped their cause.

Quickley, who scored all 15 of his points in the second frame, led New York in scoring. Randle, who went scoreless in the quarter, only playing 2:24, and Jalen Brunson contributed 14.

Two questions loom large for the hosts entering the second half: Will more shots start dropping, and will Boston stick with what is the right approach if they're not?

Secondly, the Celtics are known for slow starts to the third quarter this season; with the Knicks hanging around, that could prove problematic if it happens tonight.

Randle and Brunson Fuel a 33-Point Third Quarter for the Knicks

The Celtics went off brand at the start of the third quarter, coming out with energy as their play resembled how it looked in the first half.

In the first five minutes of the frame, New York held a 15-13 edge, tying the game at 73. But Boston accounted for itself well, including Robert Williams rotating to reject a Barrett layup, sparking a transition opportunity that yielded a White three from the left wing.

But on the heels of a Tom Thibodeau timeout at the 7:09 mark, following a Tatum baseline jam, Randle ripped off a 7-0 run, giving the visitors an 80-73 lead with five minutes remaining.

The Celtics energy was starting to dip, and it showed in their shot selection. Brown exemplified that, forcing back-to-back shots, a fadeaway from the low post and a step-back three against Barrett. He's earned the right to take both attempts and is plenty capable of making them, but there were better looks to be had.

But even with Randle, who manufactured 14 points in the period, throwing down a vicious left-handed jam and Brunson, who registered 13 on 5/5 shooting, staying hot, Boston kept fighting.

The Celtics' energy raised after a sequence where Robert Williams picked off Isaiah Hartenstein's outlet pass diagonally from the backcourt into the front, getting the ball ahead as he fell to the hardwood, met by cheers from an appreciative home crowd.

His effort led to a Grant Williams three from the left corner, pulling the Celtics within four, 87-83, with 1:07 remaining, as fans at TD Garden erupted.

Hauser earning and capitalizing on a trip to the free-throw line for two shots off a sideline inbounds helped Boston enter the final frame down 91-85.

Celtics Stage Late Rally to Force a Fifth Frame

After getting within striking distance at the end of the third quarter, Boston failed to build on that at the beginning of the fourth.

When Toppin drilled a three as Hauser did his best to block it from over the top, New York extended its lead to 100-89 with 8:32 to go.

The Knicks outscored the Celtics 9-4 to start the final frame. Boston had four shots and as many turnovers in the first four minutes of the period.

With 4:17 remaining, Horford found the Timelord down low for a layup through contact from Randle, igniting the crowd at TD Garden. Williams missed the free throw, but his basket brought Boston within eight, 106-98.

The Celtics' defense held firm on the following New York possession, forcing a shot clock violation. Tatum earned a layup at the other end, pulling the hosts within six with 3:45 on the game clock.

But Randle followed that up with a massive play for the visitors, ripping a rebound in traffic, dribbling out and knocking down a fadeaway jumper, putting the Knicks up 110-102 with 2:35 left.

Ten seconds later, Tatum generated a floater plus a foul, creating and capitalizing on an old-school three-point play.

Joe Mazzulla then sent Robert Williams to double team Randle as the latter received the ball at the left wing, with Brown forcing him to catch it further than he wanted. The double sent Randle toward the corner, where the trap produced a Tatum steal on a pass behind Quentin Grimes.

At the other end, Tatum found Brogdon for a three from the right slot, pulling the Celtics within two, 110-108, with 1:58 remaining.

After another New York shot clock violation, a pick-and-roll above the break with Horford screening for Tatum led to the latter attacking downhill for a layup that tied the game and forced overtime.

Knicks Prevail in Low-Scoring Fifth Period

Derrick White produced the first points in the fifth frame, swishing a three from the right corner off a feed from Tatum.

But in a low-scoring period, after Tatum missed a three, then couldn't get a layup to go down after Robert Williams earned Boston a second-chance opportunity, Williams and Horford pressuring Jericho Sims after the latter grabbed the rebound gave the Knicks a numbers advantage at the other end.

That led to Randle kicking the ball out to Brunson who quickly swung it to Barrett for an open three from the right corner. The former Duke Blue Devil buried it, giving New York a 116-115 advantage with 28.1 seconds left.

Following a timeout by Joe Mazzulla, Brown drove the right baseline, going strong to the cylinder for a layup that gave the hosts the lead again, 117-116, with 24.1 ticks on the clock.

But free throws made the difference down the stretch as Randle generated a trip to the line and went 2/2. Brown did the same but missed both, getting minimal lift on his second attempt.

That forced Boston to foul Barrett, who knocked down both shots, giving the Knicks a 120-117 edge with 5.7 seconds remaining.

And when a Tatum pull-up, 26 feet out on the left wing, didn't go down, the visitors clinched an impressive road win at TD Garden.

Up Next

The Celtics host the Lakers on Saturday. The game tips off at 8:30 pm EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and afterward. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Further Reading

Jayson Tatum Starting in Fourth All-Star Game Appearance; Jaylen Brown a Virtual Lock to Earn a Reserve Spot

The Roots of the Heat's Fourth-Quarter Rally Stand Out Above All as Celtics Suffer Second-Straight Loss

The Top 5 Plays from Tuesday's Celtics-Heat Game

For the Celtics, a Quiet Trade Deadline May Prove Best

Celtics Reportedly Looking for Players in Very Specific Range Ahead of NBA Trade Deadline

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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