Knicks Head to Boston Looking to End the Series in Five
It’s amazing how a season that had many critics calling the Knicks a fraudulent powerhouse has transformed into a possible historic franchise-altering 2024-25 campaign. They have succeeded in doing what many past Knicks teams have failed to do, and that is to flourish on all ends of the court when it matters most. In Game Four, they had four starters finish with 20-plus points in an astounding effort from the field. Jalen Brunson, of course, led the way with 39 and has cemented his name as one of the best Knicks to ever put on the jersey. With the success of the last game came an unfortunate Achilles injury to the Celtics’ best player in Jayson Tatum. With that being said, how will the Celtics be able to move forward going into Game Five, and do they have a chance at turning this into a competitive series?
Game Insight
It is very easy to look at this game and view it as a foregone conclusion that the Knicks will wrap the series up in five and earn the victory. However, we have seen more shocking things in the league's history, and one thing we learned with this series is not to make assumptions. That being said, if the Celtics want a shot at staying in this series, they need players like Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis to fill the void of Tatum and play at an all-time high level. For the Knicks to close it out, they will have to replicate the star power they showed in Game Five and shut down any possibility of the Celtics extending the series and creating doubt in the minds of New Yorkers.
Key Matchup
I anticipate the matchup between Jalen Brunson and Derrick White in this one to be a dramatically compelling duel between the two. They have both been extremely efficient scorers all series long and are both looking to put on a performance that will benefit their legacy. White is looking to propel into stardom by proving he can perform at a high level without Jayson Tatum on the court. Brunson is looking to do what essentially nobody around the league thought he could do, and that is lead the Knicks past the Celtics and give the Knicks a shot at possibly contending for a championship.
