The New York Knicks’ struggles against the NBA’s top teams continued, despite a second-half comeback attempt, as they fell to the defending champion Boston Celtics 118-105 on Sunday afternoon at TD Garden.
Now 0-3 against Boston, the Knicks (37-20) are a combined 0-7 against the three best teams in the NBA — a group that also includes the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Knicks trailed by as many as 27 before a third-quarter rally cut the deficit to seven at the end of the frame and then four just 28 seconds into the fourth quarter after Karl-Anthony Towns hit a three-pointer. But Boston responded, unleashing a 16-4 run to re-establish a 16-point lead with 7:26 to go.
Towns scored 24 points with 18 rebounds while suffering an apparent left knee injury in the fourth quarter. Brunson added 22 points with four assists.
After scoring 40 points against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden earlier this month, Celtics star Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 25 points, while Jaylen Brown added 20. Boston’s marquee men were more potent and consistent than the Knicks’ headlining duo of Towns and Brunson, who were no-shows in the first half.
Towns did not score a single point and had just four rebounds in the opening frame, while Brunson went scoreless in the second quarter, entering the break trailing 64-43.
The Celtics began the third with a 13-7 run, which opened up a game-high 27-point lead with 8:20 to go before the Knicks finally woke up.
Brunson poured in 15 in the third, while Towns added 14 to help spark a 32-12 Knicks run to make it an 89-82 game headed into the fourth.
Towns’ three made it a four-point game, but it was his last big contribution of the night as he exited the game with 8:28 to go after appearing to hurt his left knee when he landed awkwardly following a missed dunk. In the four minutes he was out, the Celtics outscored the Knicks 10-4.
He did little to inspire any confidence upon his return to the floor, as he was clearly hobbled and was seen clutching the injured knee on multiple occasions.
