New York Knicks Can't Bear It Without RJ Barrett, Fall to Boston Celtics

With RJ Barrett sidelined due to migraines, the New York Knicks saw their three-game winning streak come to an end against the Boston Celtics.

This blue New York team was unable to end another New England group's undefeated streak.

Missing RJ Barrett due to a migraine, the New York Knicks put up a strong fight but were unable to alter fate in the form of a 114-98 defeat at the hands of the Boston Celtics on Monday night in Beantown. With the win, Boston improved to 5-0 at TD Garden this season and 2-0 against the Knicks (5-5), who saw a three-game winning streak come to an end in the opener of a five-legged road trip. 

Jalen Brunson carried the offensive load for the Knicks with 26 points, leading the eight-man set ahead of Julius Randle, who had 25 with nine rebounds. New York is now winless in three Barrett-less showings and has posted a matching 0-3 mark in the second game of back-to-backs this season. Another awaits this weekend when they go from Washington to Charlotte on Friday and Saturday respectively.

With Barrett's invitation more or less rescinded, the Celtics (8-2) threw a Boston three-party, sinking 19 on 42 attempts. Jayson Tatum led the way with five triples, which built a good foundation for a 35-point evening. Nearly half of that tally came in a fourth quarter outing that nicked the Knicks' upset effort, as Tatum scored 17 in the closer.

Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle can only watch as two of Jayson Tatum's 35 points fall in Monday's loss in Boston / USA TODAY SPORTS

Sam Hauser had four off the bench behind him while prime newcomers Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis had a trio of triples each. Jaylen Brown was the second-leading scorer with 22 points.

New York made it clear that it wouldn't fold without Barrett with a strong first half, headlined by an 11-point opening period for Brunson. Though they trailed by one after the opening dozen, the Knicks opened up an eight-point lead on the Celtics with a 16-7 run over the opening 6:30 of the second quarter. Randle and Josh Hart, the latter starting in place of Barrett, had eight each in the period and maintained the aforementioned advantage going into the penultimate minute.

But after clawing back in the second, Boston ran away over the final 24, outscoring the Knicks by 17. A scoring flurry over the final 75 seconds, which saw the Celtics score the final seven points of the period, was perhaps a harbinger of metropolitan doom, one capped off by Brown's buzzer-beating triple. 

Over the first eight-plus minutes of the third quarter, the enemies kept each other close, as no team led by more than three. A Porzingis triple, however, ended that streak and ignited a 15-7 run over the final 3:50 of the period and paved the way for Tatum's fourth quarter showcase. New York will have to be patient to take up revenge against the Celtics, as the two sides won't see each other again until late February. 

Despite the one-sided nature of the final frame, Josh Hart took over the highlight reel with a corner three-pointer he earned by throwing the ball off the back of Holiday to avoid a traveling call.

JOSH HART THREW IT OFF JRUE HOLIDAY'S BACK THEN HIT THE 3 😱 pic.twitter.com/a13UZrinXZ

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 14, 2023

Part two of the Knicks' road trip lands on Wednesday night when the team heads south to battle the Atlanta Hawks (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).