Celtics Answer Knicks Challenge in Physical December Matchup
The Boston Celtics entered Tuesday night looking to continue their recent surge, having won three of their last four matchups against strong playoff-caliber opponents. Their confidence was tested immediately, as the New York Knicks opened the game scoring from deep and quickly built a double-digit advantage behind Josh Hart’s early scoring burst. Boston struggled to contain New York’s pace and even turned to fouling Mitchell Robinson intentionally to slow the momentum. Despite settling into a better offensive rhythm, the Celtics still found themselves down 11 after the first quarter. For a veteran team that has been through countless tough stretches, though, there was no panic setting in. Instead, Boston approached the remainder of the game with patience, composure, and trust in its core leaders.
That shift became obvious in the second quarter, when the Celtics completely flipped the game’s energy. New York became visibly frustrated with officiating, losing some of the discipline that helped them race ahead early. Boston pounced on the opportunity, stringing together stops and pushing the pace to fuel an extended run that erased the deficit. Jaylen Brown was the clear catalyst, erupting for 18 points in the period and delivering the play of the night with his transition dunk over Jordan Clarkson to give Boston the lead. The Celtics continued to push the tempo and attack mismatches, steadily widening the margin. By halftime, a once-troubling hole had turned into a 58–52 Boston lead, fueled entirely by their renewed intensity.
The Celtics carried that momentum into the second half, continuing to dictate the game on both ends. New York trimmed the gap to six midway through the third, but Brown’s assertiveness repeatedly halted their comeback attempts. Boston moved the ball well, spaced the floor effectively, and converted tough shots to rebuild its advantage. The Knicks struggled to generate clean looks for stretches, while the Celtics capitalized on nearly every mistake. By the end of the third quarter, Boston held an 18-point lead, its largest of the night, and appeared firmly in control of the contest.
Still, the Knicks were not ready to fold, and they opened the fourth quarter with the type of resilience that has defined their early season. Their second unit chipped away at the deficit, and once the starters returned, Mikal Bridges exploded from beyond the arc to spark another push. Karl-Anthony Towns and Hart hit clutch shots to bring the Knicks within three, putting real pressure on Boston in the game’s final minutes. The Celtics responded with poise, leaning on timely contributions from Jordan Walsh, who was perfect from the field and strong on the glass, and Brown, who steadied the offense with his shot-making and composure. In the end, Boston’s balanced execution allowed them to narrowly hold on for the win. Brown finished with a game-high 42 points on 16-of-24 shooting, while Derrick White added four threes and Walsh contributed eight points and six rebounds in a crucial performance that helped Boston secure a hard-fought victory.
