Celtics Roll Over Knicks in Game 3 Rout at Madison Square Garden
After staging thrilling comebacks in Games 1 and 2, the New York Knicks fell flat in Game 3, suffering a heavy 115–93 loss to the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
“They got the lead early,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said following the defeat. “We missed some shots early, and that gave them confidence. They got rolling from there.”
The Celtics had struggled mightily with their perimeter shooting in the first two games, missing a combined 75 three-point attempts — the most over two games in NBA playoff history. Despite their shooting woes, both contests went down to the wire. But in Game 3, Boston finally found its rhythm from deep, connecting on a red-hot 20-of-40 from beyond the arc to seize control and cut the Knicks’ series lead to 2-1.
“We’ve got to be better,” Thibodeau added. “They got some clean looks early, saw them go in, and from there it was hard to stop. We allowed our offensive struggles to affect our defense, and that can’t happen.”
Boston, in desperate need of a win after losing the first two games at home, came out with urgency and energy from the opening tip. The Knicks, by contrast, looked sluggish and disengaged — a costly approach in a game that could have put a stranglehold on the series.
“No one’s going to shoot great every night,” Thibodeau said. “But you’ve got to find other ways to contribute to a win.”
Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson echoed that sentiment, acknowledging that the team may have subconsciously let its guard down after taking a 2-0 lead in the series. “I don’t think we came in satisfied, but it might’ve been in the back of our minds,” he said. “That’s not how we need to approach these games.”
Boston’s stars finally started to shine in Game 3. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum found their rhythm, but it was reserve guard Payton Pritchard who delivered the biggest surprise. Pritchard torched the Knicks for 23 points, including five-of-nine from three-point range, helping fuel the Celtics’ offense throughout the night.
Tatum contributed a strong all-around performance with 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, while Brown added 19 points, six rebounds, and five assists of his own.
Brunson led the Knicks with a game-high 27 points, but it wasn’t enough to keep New York in striking distance. The Knicks were down by 20 or more throughout the entire second half, never threatening to mount another comeback.
Karl-Anthony Towns added a double-double with 21 points and 15 rebounds, but Boston’s offensive firepower kept New York’s defense on its heels all night long.
The struggles extended to the free-throw line as well. The Knicks missed 11 of their 35 free-throw attempts. Mitchell Robinson’s woes were particularly glaring, going just 4-of-12 from the line. Boston took advantage of that by repeatedly sending him to the stripe — a successful strategy given his series average of just over 30%.
Neither team has won at home so far in the series. As Game 4 approaches, the Knicks have an opportunity to regain their momentum and inch closer to advancing. A win would put them in control before the series returns to Boston.
The Knicks will look to bounce back in front of their home crowd on Monday, May 12, when Game 4 tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.
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