Has Reality Set in for New York Following Game Three Loss to Boston?
It only took a few minutes into Game Three at Madison Square Garden for Knicks fans to realize this one felt different. Unlike the previous two games, where the Celtics bricked three after three and allowed New York to claw back late, Boston came out on fire. In the blink of an eye, the Knicks were down by 15, as the Celtics opened the game by hitting five of their first six three-point attempts. It wasn’t about a new strategy or radical change. The defending champions were simply being themselves. They didn’t try to overcomplicate anything. They just executed the fundamentals, moved the ball, and shot with the kind of confidence you’d expect from a team many still consider the favorite to win it all.
This was the version of Boston Knicks fans hoped would never show up. In Game One, the Celtics shot a woeful 15 for 60 from beyond the arc. In Game Two, they improved only slightly, going 10 for 40. New York capitalized on every miss, leaning into their grit, physicality, and home-court edge to complete miraculous comeback efforts. However, what happens when those same shots finally start falling for arguably the best team in the world? What happens when the Knicks are still down big, only this time, Boston isn’t giving them the lifeline of poor shooting? That’s the scary reality we all witnessed unfold in Game Three.
Jalen Brunson, the heart of this Knicks team and the engine behind the comebacks in Games One and Two, struggled to find his rhythm early. His shots weren't falling the same way, and he didn’t get the help he needed from the perimeter to free up space. Karl-Anthony Towns continued to give everything on both ends, but even with his effort and rebounding presence, Boston’s hot shooting overwhelmed the Knicks’ defensive rotations. Mikal Bridges, who came alive in the fourth quarter of Game Two, had flashes of aggression in Game Three but never fully broke through Boston’s defensive pressure. It felt like everyone was trying, but no one could shift the tide.
For two straight games, the Knicks masked flaws with sheer will, timely defense, and the relentless energy of the Garden. However, they were always playing with fire, relying heavily on Boston’s inability to convert open looks. That rope finally snapped. This wasn’t about New York playing poorly, though they did make mistakes; it was about Boston simply being better. When the Celtics shoot like this, the margin for error shrinks dramatically. The Knicks' usual run of grit and heart wasn’t enough when their opponent stopped missing.
The truth is, you can’t depend on missed shots to win a playoff series, especially not against a team as loaded and experienced as Boston. You can’t build a winning game plan around the idea that your opponent will just beat themselves. That might happen once. Maybe even twice. However, when the shots start falling, as they did tonight, you’re suddenly forced to answer the question: do we have enough of our firepower? Right now, the Knicks haven’t answered that with confidence.
Madison Square Garden was loud, rowdy, and hopeful. Just as it always is in May. Yet it’s becoming clearer that noise alone won’t carry this team to the Eastern Conference Finals. Not when the Celtics are clicking. Not when they’re reminding everyone that they were the league’s top seed for a reason. If the Knicks want to rewrite this story, they’ll need more than spirit. They’ll need their stars. Brunson, Towns, and Bridges need to rise collectively and decisively. Otherwise, Game Three won’t just be a reality check, it could be the beginning of the end.
