BSJ Game Report: Celtics 114, Knicks 98 - Tatum shuts the door with huge fourth quarter

Everything you need to know about the Celtics win over the Knicks, with BSJ insight and analysis

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics were up one after a back-and-forth quarter that saw six Celtics score while Jaylen Brunson’s 11 carried New York. The Celtics hit a dry spell to start the second but they went on 13-4 run to close the half and cut an eight-point deficit to one. The defense stepped up in the third, but the Knicks still broke free for too many 3-pointers. Still, Boston was able to close strong again, this time with a 12-4 run to go up eight. It hovered around there until Jayson Tatum scored eight straight to build a 16-point lead, and that was that. 

Box Score

HEADLINES

- Star power: It wasn’t a perfect game from them by any stretch, but the bottom line in this win is Boston had Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and New York didn’t. They combined for 57 points with Tatum shutting the door on the Knicks with 17 in the fourth. Toss in Porzingis’ 21 and it was too much for New York to handle.

- Defense steps up: They forced three 24-second violations in this game and held the Knicks to 98 points. Yes, there was a downside to it because they allowed too many good looks from deep, but the Celtics defense also is built to make certain choices, and above the break 3-pointers are a shot they're choosing to live with. 

- Holiday bounceback: His numbers look a little pedestrian (14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists) but he was all over the offensive boards again and he hit some big shots. 

Also congratulations on hitting 15,000 points

TURNING POINT

It was 72-72 with 3:05 to go in the third and Boston went into the fourth up 84-76. That end of third quarter run opened a lead that Boston was able to protect the rest of the way.

THINGS I LIKED

- Tatum’s fourth quarter: 17 points on 6-8 shooting (4-5 3pt) to go along with a couple of rebounds and assists. He’d been struggling shooting (1-7 3pt through three quarters) but like the Celtics overall in this game, he stuck with it and it paid off in the end.

- Bench steps up: Boston won the bench points battle 19-15. That's huge for the Celtics, who have struggled in that regard. 

“They're starting to develop an identity of what it looks like when they're on the floor together,” Joe Mazzulla said after the game. “Their ball movement, they are taking pride in defense and they're doing some different things. Our press looks a little bit different when our second unit is in, and we showed a couple possessions of zone, and then we were able to change up the matchups. So our second unit is really developing an identity of just a free-flow offense and then being creative on the defensive end and doing some different stuff.”

- Perseverance: The Celtics didn’t look particularly great early in the game, but they never let that get to them like it has in past seasons. They were down eight with 3:20 to go in the second quarter, they were 5-16 from deep (31.3%) and 44.1% overall. Instead of going into a shell, they closed the quarter scoring 14 points on 6-8 shooting, 2-3 from 3. 

- Derrick White doing the little things: He scored three points on 1-7 shooting and was a plus-14.

“Him and Jrue are constantly just doing all the little things, and that can go unnoticed at times,” Mazzulla said. “They both hit big-time shots tonight, and they both continue to make massive plays on the defensive end. I thought Derrick struggled a little bit shooting, but it never affects his mindset and his defense.”

- Sam Hauser: He's not just a 3-point shooter. That's his main job, obviously. That's, like, 85% of what he's supposed to do. But he also had four rebounds, two assists, and some very solid defense.

"I think he's a much better defender than people think," Mazzulla said. "His technique and his ability to know tendencies, I feel just as comfortable with him guarding as anybody else. I've said it from day one. I think he's a very, very good defender, underrated, and as he continues to get better, it makes our team better."

- Immanuel Quickley held in check: I always love when a thing I highlight pregame comes through. Just seven points from Quickley is a big reason why the bench battle went how it went. It’s a huge reason why the Celtics were able to spend a lot of time up about 8-10 points late in the game with no points from White. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

- The start to the game: I debated leaving this section empty because I really liked how they fought in this game and pulled away. A game against the Knicks is going to get a little ugly regardless, so the bigger story is how they stuck with it and pulled away. 

But I suppose the team admitting they got out-played early on deserves some recognition here. I did not, in fact, like how that went.

HIGHLIGHTS

ONE TAKE KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

This is why shooters keep shooting: Tatum was 0-6 from deep and I’m sure there were plenty of people screaming to do something other than take a 3-pointer. He finally saw one go in and he ended going 5-6 the rest of the way, including hitting his last four in a row. 

“I've played enough games, had enough tough shooting nights, I mean, Game 6 actually is a prime example in Philly when I couldn't hit a shot,” Tatum said. “All really, really good scorers know it just takes one, takes one to change, change your momentum, change how you feel about yourself shooting the ball and once you see one go in, you feel a lot better about yourself.”

Tatum got the one he needed to fall, and from there it was a barrage, including a perfect late-game possession where Boston worked the whole shot clock down and Tatum hit a 3 at the buzzer. 

He shook off the rough shooting night and had the confidence to keep firing. Coffee's for closers. And Tatum gets a full, fresh pot all to himself 

Up next: The Celtics start a road trip Wednesday night with a return to Philadelphia