NEW YORK — The New York Knicks’ switching defense forced the Boston Celtics into an NBA playoff record 60 three-point attempts in their stunning 108-105 overtime victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
After falling behind by 20 points in the third quarter, the Knicks flipped the script on the defending champions by adjusting their defensive approach. Boston, which swept New York in the regular season, shot a dismal 15-for-60 from beyond the arc, setting postseason records for both attempts and misses.
“This team has fought all year, and been a pretty good road team,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “It’s one game. There’s a lot of emotional highs and lows in the playoffs, but no matter what happens you have to keep moving forward.”
The strategic defensive shift came after the Knicks struggled during regular season matchups where Boston scored an incredible 130.2 points per 100 possessions across four victories. But the Knicks’ defense looked completely different in Game 1, abandoning predictable patterns and forcing the Celtics into uncomfortable shooting positions.
OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson each scored 29 points for the Knicks, combining for 39 points over the final 22½ minutes as New York outscored Boston 53-30 during that stretch. The Knicks’ perimeter defenders made several game-altering plays, none bigger than Mikal Bridges stripping Jaylen Brown of the ball in the final seconds of overtime to seal the improbable victory.
“Your defense, your toughness, your teamwork — I think that’s paramount in a playoff game,” Thibodeau explained.
The Celtics, who had all six of their top players available for just the 19th time in 88 games this season, seemed to abandon their offensive game plan as the contest progressed. After attacking Knicks’ vulnerabilities in the first half — specifically targeting Brunson and Towns in pick-and-roll situations — Boston settled for perimeter shots as their lead evaporated.
The defensive approach reflected a significant adjustment from the regular season, where the Knicks struggled to contain Boston’s five-out offense. In previous meetings, Boston relentlessly targeted Towns, who found himself defending 134 pick-and-rolls across their regular season matchups — the most of any defender against the Celtics.
Jayson Tatum and Brown each scored 23 points for Boston but couldn’t prevent the collapse. The Celtics also suffered from the absence of Kristaps Porzingis, who missed the second half with what the team described as an illness, and Sam Hauser, who exited with an ankle injury in the third quarter.
Anunoby, whose defensive versatility proved crucial, made a pivotal play midway through the fourth quarter when he deflected Tatum’s pass after Towns initially contained Tatum’s drive. That steal led to a fast-break dunk that tied the game, completely erasing what had been a commanding Boston lead.
The Knicks’ comeback represents their first victory against one of the league’s top three teams all season, having gone 0-10 against Boston, Cleveland and Oklahoma City in the regular season.
Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday at TD Garden where the Celtics will attempt to even the series and the Knicks will look to take a commanding 2-0 lead back to Madison Square Garden.
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