Inside The Celtics

What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss vs. Knicks: Another Gut Punch

From Evan Fournier torching the Celtics again to Boston's hot shooting in the first half and its inability to close out the game, here's what stood out from Thursday's duel between conference rivals.

Bobby Krivitsky

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks entered Thursday's matchup with the same record, but the former held the 10th-seed in the Eastern Conference. As the conference rivals, who close out their season series on Saturday, jockey for a spot in the postseason, they delivered another highly entertaining duel.

Here's what stood out from the game.

The Celtics Came Ready to Play

Motivated by yet another frustrating loss the night before against the San Antonio Spurs and recognizing the importance of this matchup, the Celtics got off to an excellent start.

They shot 55.8 percent from the field, including 11/23 (47.8 percent) from beyond the arc in the first half. In the second frame, in particular, they caught fire, generating 38 points while drilling 8/14 threes (57.1 percent). They played up-tempo, moved the ball effectively, assisted on 14 of their 24 made field goals, and got stops at the other end. New York shot 40.9 percent from the field in the game's first two quarters.

As a result, Boston entered the break with a 16-point advantage.

Evan Fournier Continues to Torch the Celtics

In the offseason, the Celtics decided Evan Fournier wasn't worth to them what he could get on the open market. It's proven to be the right decision...except when he plays against them. Carrying that motivation into each matchup against his former team, Fournier has consistently torched them.

He scored 32 points in both of the Knicks' first two games against the Celtics, and he topped that with a career-high 41 vs. his previous team on Thursday. He did so on 15/25 shooting, including a blistering 10/14 from beyond the arc. Fournier also grabbed eight rebounds and registered a game-high plus-minus rating of +18.

Like the Last Matchup, the Third Quarter Presents a Problem

In their last matchup, the Knicks outscored the Celtics 41-24 in the third quarter, erasing a 15-point deficit. On Thursday, New York did so again, this time by a 30-21 margin.

The Knicks went on a 14-0 run that stretched from the end of the first half to the start of the third frame and then closed out the quarter on a 14-3 run, trimming what was once a 25-point deficit down to seven entering the final 12 minutes.

Boston's Cold Shooting Leads to Heartbreaking Loss

In the final frame, Jayson Tatum was excellent. He did his best to carry his team to victory, scoring 13 of their 21 points on 4/8 shooting, and he made the right play nearly every time he touched the ball. The All-Star wing repeatedly set up his teammates for open threes that a supporting cast filled with roughly league-average shooters struggled to make.

For the quarter, Boston shot a frigid 4/13 (30.8 percent) from beyond the arc and 35.3 percent from the field; conversely, the Knicks made 5/8 threes (62.5 percent) and converted on 55 percent of their field goal attempts. They also had seven second-chance points to the Celtics' none, they outscored Boston in the paint, 6-2, and they didn't commit a single turnover.

Still, Tatum kept swinging, tying the game at 105 by burying a mid-range jumper with 2.2 seconds left in the game. Unfortunately for him and the Celtics, fellow Duke Blue Devil alum RJ Barrett responded by banking in a buzzer-beater three to give Boston another gut-punching loss. Before his game-winner, Barrett had 10 points on 14 shots.

Up Next

The Celtics host the New York Knicks on Saturday; tip-off is at 7:30 EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Further Reading

Trade Options for a Celtics Team in Need of Shooters

What Stood Out from Celtics' Come from Behind Win Over Magic

In More Ways Than One, the Celtics are in Need of a Shakeup

What Stood Out in Celtics' Victory Over Suns: Pace, Energy Fuel Boston's Best Win of the Season

Jayson Tatum Makes a Major Announcement

The Latest On Dennis Schroder's Future with the Celtics

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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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