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Jalen Brunson delivered a standout performance with 39 points and 12 assists, bringing the New York Knicks to within one victory of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years.
NEW YORK — The Boston Celtics find themselves in a precarious position. Their current season hangs in the balance, and the ramifications of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Monday could impact next season as well.
The Celtics squandered yet another double-digit lead in the second half—this time a 14-point advantage—losing 121-113 and falling behind 3-1 in the series. Even more concerning, All-Star Jayson Tatum sustained what looked like a severe leg injury late in the fourth quarter while diving for a loose ball.
At that moment, after erasing the 14-point deficit, the Knicks had seized a nine-point lead, and without their top player—who had tallied a game-high 42 points along with eight rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks—the Celtics struggled to respond.
Brunson’s remarkable 39-point, 12-assist performance (with a single turnover) propelled the Knicks, who enjoyed their most prolific offensive outing of the series.
As New York stands just one win away from the franchise’s first trip to the conference finals in 25 years, here are some insights, quotes, statistics, and analysis…
The first three games of the series represented the Knicks’ weakest offensive stretch of the season, averaging just 101.4 points per 100 possessions. Their victories in Games 1 and 2 were more reflective of the Celtics’ struggles, where Boston only managed 84 points over 98 possessions after halftime.
While the Celtics didn’t produce at the same efficiency on Monday as in Game 3, they still managed to score 113 points on just 94 possessions (121.0 per 100) — this marked the Knicks’ second-worst defensive effort of the playoffs. However, their offense thrived; after making just 50% of their attempts in the paint during Game 3, they shot an impressive 73% (32-for-44) in Game 4. They capitalized from beyond the arc to maintain their commanding 64-32 advantage in points in the paint.
Karl-Anthony Towns may still be struggling to find his three-point shot (just 1-for-10 in the series), but he exploited smaller defenders effectively, scoring 23 points on 11-for-15 shooting. OG Anunoby contributed with timely baskets, and the Brunson-Mikal Bridges duo proved unstoppable, combining for an astounding 70 points on 47 possessions in the second half.
Of course, a performance like that doesn’t come without some help from the other team.
“Simply put, we were dreadful defensively tonight,” Jaylen Brown stated post-game. “There was no resistance.”
Despite having the fourth-ranked defense during the regular season and possessing skilled defenders of various builds, the Celtics struggled against Brunson, who netted 27 of his points from the paint (18) or at the free-throw line.
His primary targets were the Celtics’ big men. According to Second Spectrum data, the Knicks utilized 33 ball screens for Brunson against either Kristaps Porziņģis (21 times) or Al Horford (12 times), leading to 37 points on 30 attempts (1.23 points per attempt).
Brunson was also able to dominate Derrick White, scoring 12 points against him—four of which came late in the third quarter when Brunson had 18 of the Knicks’ 37.
Late in that period, Brunson showcased his strength by overpowering White for a comfortable turnaround jumper from the right baseline.
Brunson has consistently stepped up during these playoffs, even when the Knicks have found themselves trailing against the defending champions. He averages 30.2 points over his 34 playoff games with New York, surpassed only by Devin Booker of Phoenix, who has a 32.1 scoring average over the last three postseasons.
“When things get tough, you can count on him not to dwell on the moment,” Bridges remarked about Brunson. “He stays focused and is driven to win.”
Bridges was instrumental in Game 2 with a flurry of 14 points in the fourth quarter, helping the team rally from 20 points down for a second consecutive game.
Though Game 4 didn’t feature such a large deficit, Bridges stepped up early and often in the final period once again.
With Brunson resting at the start of the fourth quarter, the Knicks’ offense was funneled through Bridges, who ran the same play for his first three possessions.
Each time, the ball was fed to Bridges on the left side of the court, initiating a screen from Mitchell Robinson.
Josh Hart attempted a fadeaway from just inside the free-throw line but missed. Nonetheless, Bridges attracting defensive attention was significant against a Celtics team that prefers otherwise.
The Knicks’ ability to run their fourth-quarter offense through a secondary option like Bridges—who played the entire second half on Monday—cannot be understated. He’s shot 12-for-19 and dished out seven assists during the fourth quarters in this series.
Following the game, the Celtics provided no update on Tatum’s condition, mentioning that he would undergo an MRI on Tuesday with little optimism indicated.
“It’s hard,” Brown said. “There’s not a lot to say.”
Tatum had to be helped off the court after going down late in the fourth due to what appeared to be a lower leg injury.
The Celtics have achieved a 9-2 record without Tatum this season, including a 3-2 mark against playoff teams. This record features a win against Orlando in the opening round’s Game 2.
Tatum is pivotal to the Celtics’ offensive strategy, leading the team in both time of possession and usage rate. Even when Brown was recognized as the series MVP in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals, Tatum was often the catalyst behind many advantageous scoring opportunities.
For the Celtics to extend their season without their leading scorer, they must dramatically improve their defensive play from Game 4. They’ve demonstrated offensive efficiency against the league’s second-rated defense, including a win without Tatum in the first round. Thus far, they have scored 118.8 points per 100 possessions in the 102 playoff minutes Brown has played without Tatum.
They are still the reigning champions, brimming with talent, and their season is not yet over.
“I think everyone is at a loss for words right now—losing the game and the concern for JT is at the forefront,” Brown reflected. “But we’ll lift our heads back up tomorrow and move forward.”
Despite having been outscored by a mere two points across their ten playoff games and having trailed all four games of this series by at least 14 points, the Knicks find themselves one win away from eliminating the defending champions and advancing to the conference finals in a landscape that appears open for the title chase. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder, who dominated the regular season, are also facing tough series.
“We’re presented with an excellent opportunity,” Brunson asserted about their current position. “We’re up against a formidable team, and I believe we haven’t yet played our best basketball. With many new faces this year, we still have a journey ahead to reach our highest potential. We need to maintain a student mentality and never be satisfied.”
This series isn’t over, but the Knicks are 5-0 in playoff road games and aim to wrap it up in Game 5 in Boston on Wednesday (7 ET, TNT).
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John Schuhmann serves as a senior stats analyst for NBA.com. You can reach out to him via email, browse his archive, and follow him on X.
The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the NBA, its teams, or Warner Bros. Discovery.
