In a standout performance, Jayson Tatum led the Boston Celtics to a resounding 114-98 victory over the New York Knicks, scoring an impressive 35 points. Jaylen Brown contributed 22 points, while Kristaps Porzingis added 21, facing the team that originally drafted him.

Tatum’s impact was most notable in the fourth quarter, where he explоded for 17 points, helping the Celtics turn a narrow 91-88 lead into a commanding 17-point advantage. Despite struggling with his three-point shooting early on, Tatum found his rhythm in the final eight minutes, sinking four consecutive threes, including a remarkable 4-point play after the Knicks had closed the deficit to three points.

For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson displayed his scoring prowess with 26 points, and Julius Randle contributed 25 points and nine rebounds. The Knicks had previously won three consecutive games after a slower start to the season, including a loss to the Celtics in their opener. Unfortunately, they were without RJ Barrett, who sat out the second game of a back-to-back due to a migraine headache.

The Knicks held an eight-point lead with just 75 seconds remaining in the second quarter. However, the Celtics mounted a late surge, scoring nine of the last 11 points to trim the halftime deficit to 53-52, courtesy of Brown’s buzzer-beating three-pointer.

Boston maintained control in the third quarter, at one point leading by as many as 10 points. However, the Knicks fought back and closed the gap to 91-88 when Brunson connected on a long-range three-pointer with eight minutes remaining. Tatum promptly responded with a crucial step-back three-pointer, drawing a foul in the process, which extended the Celtics’ lead to 95-88. Jrue Holiday also reached a significant milestone during the game, surpassing 15,000 career points with a three-pointer in the third quarter.

With approximately five minutes left in the game, Tatum was called for a technical foul after disputing a foul call. However, his exceptional performance, combined with contributions from his teammates, proved too much for the Knicks to overcome, resulting in a convincing victory for the Boston Celtics.