Jaylen Brown shines again in 123-117 win over the Knicks



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The Celtics defeated the Knicks 123-117 in a wild and unpredictable game. The Knicks came out swinging early, but the Celtics responded. In the fourth quarter it appeared to be deja vu of the 2025 semifinals series, but the Celtics held on to improve to 12-9. 

The Knicks jumped out to a 32-21 lead in the first, capitalizing on Celtics size and turnovers. 18 of the 32 points came off turnovers or second-chance points in the first, and it appeared that this would be a long night in Boston. 

In the second quarter, the game completely flipped, with the Celtics outscoring the Knicks 37-20. The offense shot 71% from the field, and a big reason for that was Jaylen Brown, going 7/9 for 18 points. On defense, they allowed just 20 points, forced 5 turnovers, and did not allow an offensive rebound. Going into halftime, the Celtics led 58-52. 

Jaylen Brown would trade baskets with Mikal Bridges for most of the quarter. Both teams would play each other evenly in the third, scoring 24 points each until the final two minutes. The Celtics went on a 12-0 run in the final 2:30 to go up 94-76 heading into the fourth. 

Midway through the quarter, the Knicks would cut the lead down to 3 at 102-99. Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 28 of the Knicks 41 points in the fourth to nearly mount a comeback, but 3 backbreaking offensive rebounds by Jordan Walsh would keep the Knicks at bay. The Celtics scored 29 points in the fourth, which was enough to win the game 123-117 and give the Celtics their twelfth win of the season against another strong playoff contender. 

The good 

Jaylen Brown continues his MVP-caliber season with a 42-point performance. Brown struggled in the first quarter, committing 3 turnovers and scoring just four points, but would dominate in the second and third, scoring 33 points on 13/17 shooting, which helped give the Celtics a big lead for most of the game. His ability to score at all three levels consistently has made him one of the toughest covers in the NBA, and it was on full display against the Knicks.

Derrick White had a big game, scoring 22 points on 50% from the floor. White's struggles have been well documented all season, but he was able to put on a strong performance in a critical game. 

Josh Minott and Jordan Walsh have alternated for the 5th starting spot, and both made a case for themselves with excellent performances on Tuesday night. 

Minott scored 11 points, grabbed 3 offensive rebounds, and hit 3 three-pointers. Minott's ability to battle in the paint and emergence as a catch-and-shoot player has made him one of the most valuable pieces on the Celtics. 

Jordan Walsh hit all 4 of his shots and grabbed 4 offensive rebounds, with three of them coming in the fourth quarter when the Knicks began to steal momentum. At a critical point in the game, Walsh's effort kept the Knicks at bay with multiple putback baskets. 

For the game, the Celtics capitalized on Knicks misques, scoring 25 points off turnovers and 16 second-chance points. Over a third of their points came off Knicks mistakes, which was a big reason why they were so dominant in the second and third quarter. The gritty and scrappy style of play has not been one that the Celtics have lived on for much of the season, but their extra effort won them this game.

The bad

For as dominant as the Celtics were in the second and third quarters, they nearly undid it all in the fourth quarter. Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for nearly as many points as the entire Celtics team in the entire quarter. 

Late in games, the Celtics offense has had a tendency to stand around trying to drain the clock, which results in poor shots late in the shot clock. This was the case again tonight, and if not for Jordan Walsh's effort on the glass, it could have cost them.

Conclusion

This win now marks the 4th playoff-caliber opponent the Celtics have defeated in their toughest stretch of the season, proving they can play with anybody. Jaylen Brown had another excellent performance, and he had some extra help, with Derrick White, Josh Minott, and Jordan Walsh all contributing in scoring or rebounding, which came up huge late in the game. 

The Celtics are now a top 6 seed for the first time in the 2025-2026 season. They will travel to Washington on Thursday to play the 3-17 Wizards with a chance to continue moving up in the standings. 

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