Knicks Flip the Script After Massive Deficit
No one could have guessed the New York Knicks would walk out of TD Garden with a win after falling behind by 20 points in the second half. But that’s exactly what they did on May 5, 2025, sending Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals into overtime and stunning the Boston Celtics, 108-105. For a team that had lost all four regular season matchups to Boston, this was a statement New York fans have been craving all year.
Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby didn’t care about history or regular season records. Each poured in 29 points, slicing through Boston’s defense with confident drives and big fourth quarter buckets. Karl-Anthony Towns worked tirelessly in the paint, finishing with 14 points and 13 boards, facing off against Boston’s tough interior D. But when the dust settled, the play everyone was talking about happened in the final seconds of overtime.
Mikal Bridges, who had quietly contributed all night, decided to make noise when Boston had the ball and trailed by just a possession. With about five seconds left and Jaylen Brown racing up the court, Bridges poked the ball loose, grabbing the steal and diving to the hardwood. That ended any hopes for a Celtics miracle and sent the Knicks’ bench into a frenzy. Sometimes, playoff basketball isn’t about scoring—it’s about a single moment tipping the scales, and Bridges seized his.
Celtics Struggle From Deep as Lead Disappears
The Celtics looked poised to cruise to another win after breaking out to a double-digit lead behind steady performances from Jayson Tatum and Brown, both scoring 23 points. In the first half, Boston’s ball movement got everyone involved. But things soured quickly in the third and fourth quarters as the Celtics’ shooting vanished.
You could sense frustration each time a Boston three-pointer clanged off the rim. The Celtics missed 45 shots from deep—more than any other NBA playoff team has ever misfired in a single game. For all their firepower, no one could get hot at the right time. Derrick White and Kristaps Porziņģis tried to pick up the slack, but the shots just wouldn’t fall when it mattered most.
As the missed threes piled up, you could see Boston’s confidence wavering. The Knicks saw their chance and turned up the defensive pressure, chipping away at the lead bit by bit. By the time Brunson tied it up with under a minute left in regulation, you could almost hear the entire arena tighten up. The Celtics’ once-comfortable cushion evaporated in real time.
New York didn’t let the opportunity slip. Once the game hit overtime, the Knicks played like a group refusing to surrender, hustling for every loose ball, fighting through screens, and cheering every defensive stop. The dramatic turnaround snapped a four-game losing streak to Boston, a monkey off the Knicks’ back just when it mattered most.
Game 2 stays in Boston on May 7, but now the pressure’s shifted. The Knicks just rewrote the series narrative and stole home advantage. The Celtics, meanwhile, have to regroup and find their rhythm from deep, or risk watching the Knicks do it again.
