New York does it again, erasing another Boston Celtics 20-point lead led by a fourth-quarter effort from the defensive performances of Mikal Bridges once again making the final stop blocking Jayson Tatum’s shot to OG Anunody stiffening against Jaylen Brown and adding timely baskets. The Knicks are just two games away from returning to the Easter Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. 

It had been a low-scoring game throughout. Entering the fourth quarter, the Boston Celtics led 73-61. In games that the Celtics lead by more than 16 or more points under Joe Mazzulla, they are 46-1. 

Boston would miss their final 14 of their 15 shots in the fourth quarter after being outscored 23-6 over the final 8 minutes and 30 seconds. 

Jayson Tatum could not rise to the occasion again and nearly looked invisible late. He finished 5-for-19 from the field, 1-for-5 from 3-point territory, with only 13 points. Brown went 8-for-23 from the field and 2-for-7 from 3-point territory. He scored four points, including the go-ahead basket, 90-89. 

For Brown, he was held scoreless in the fourth 0-for-4 from the field. The Celtics’ leading scorer in the quarter was Payton Pritchard, who scored six points. 

Boston controlled the game defensively, and they gained a 20-point cushion behind the scores of Derrick White and Brown. 

Boston’s defense made it their business holding The Clutch Player of the Year Jalen Brunson to just seven first-half points — but continued to have a hard time containing Karl-Anthony Towns. 

A tale of half the Knicks managed to flip the script—Bridges held scoreless through the hold game and scored all 14 of his points in the final quarter, and Brunson added nine points as his late-game heroics continued to bleed through. 

Brunson’s free throws allowed the Knicks to take a 91-90 lead with 12.7 seconds left in the game. Mazzulla, electing not to take his final timeout, let Boston play out for the final shot. 

With the ball in his hands, Tatum looked frazzled and unprepared for the big moment. Struggling to create and reach his spot, he ended up baseline seven feet from the basket as a herd of Knicks gathered. I was trying to pass it out to Brown at the last second. Bridges were there to fully put his right hand on the ball and create a turnover, exactly like game one, make the biggest play of the game on defense as time ran out, and send New York back home leading 2-0. 

After the game, Brunson spoke with TNT’s Allie LaForce, who asked if the Knicks play better with pressure late in the. 

“I don’t Know, I’m just happy we got the win,” he said. “That’s some wild stuff right there. We are just going to keep fighting; we just gotta keep each other in the locker room — focus on each other, on us, focus on one thing at a time, and now game three.” 

Knicks will head home with the city of New York packed in Madison Square Garden in full support of their team that leads 2-0 with a chance to send the Celtics packing and advance closer to the NBA Finals.