Boston Pre Party: New York Knicks Stars Sit, Celtics Roll in Exhibition

Outside antics from Quentin Grimes kept the New York Knicks' penultimate preseason game against the Boston Celtics' stars exciting.

Below the banner commemorating the collaboration of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, a notable trio sat in Boston on Tuesday night.

With an unusual back-to-back pairing to close the regular season, he New York Knicks' headlining trio of RJ Barrett, Jalen Brunson, and Julius Randle each sat out of the penultimate 2023 preseason game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Their hosting rivals opted for the opposite, showcasing their newly revamped lineup of stars in a 123-110 victory. 

Quentin Grimes took advantage of an extended opportunity on Tuesday night in Boston / USA TODAY SPORTS

Tuesday's game was a reverse angle of the team's previous preseason get-together at Madison Square Garden, which saw the Knicks take home a 114-107 decision while the Celtics' starters sat. In addition to their starring trio, the Knicks also sat top subs Josh Hart and Immanuel Quickley. 

The long-standing rivals won't have to wait long to face each other at full strength, as they'll open the regular season at MSG next Wednesday night.

Quentin Grimes and Mitchell Robinson reprised their usual roles in the Knicks' starting five. The former took full advantage of the preseason's trigger-happy settings, as he built a Knicks-best 22-point haul with seven three-pointers on a dozen tries. New York was also a plus-six on the scoreboard when Grimes' sneakers touched the hardwood. 

Placed at point guard in place of Brunson, Miles McBride took advantage of an extended opportunity with 16 points. Though he needed 18 attempts from the field to get there (including 2-of-8 with an extra point on the line), McBride also dished out six assists and swiped four steals. In a rare top-heavy night for the starting five, Robinson and Jericho Sims united for 17 rebounds.

Armed to the brim at full strength, however, the Celtics (3-1) embarked upon a 28-12 run over the final seven minutes of the first quarter, erasing a five-point advantage for the visitors and building a lead they'd never relinquish. In building a lead that peaked at 27, Jayson Tatum had 28 points while former Knicks All-Star Kristaps Porzingis scored 20 on 8-of-13 from the field.

While the Knicks (1-2) had their share of struggles (including a brutal 3-of-12, six-turnover night for Donte DiVincenzo, starting in place of Barrett), they could at least relinquish a relative lockdown in the second half: even as Boston continued to use its starters, the Knicks won the third quarter 28-22 and allowed just 45 points over the latter 20 after 78 in the first half. 

New York closes its four-game preseason slate on Wednesday night, as they return to Madison Square Garden to face the Washington Wizards (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).