In one of the most improbable starts to a playoff series in recent NBA history, the New York Knicks have stunned the Boston Celtics for the second straight game, overcoming yet another massive second-half deficit to secure a 91-90 win and a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Just like in Game 1, the Knicks found themselves buried — down by 20 in the third quarter at TD Garden. But this team, built on grit and resiliency, dug deep again. A ferocious 21-2 run in the fourth quarter turned what seemed like a sure Celtics victory into another bitter collapse for Boston. This time, it was Mikal Bridges who delivered the final dagger, scoring all 14 of his points in the fourth quarter and ripping the ball from Jayson Tatum in the closing seconds — eerily similar to his game-clinching steal in Game 1.
Josh Hart continued his breakout postseason with a team-high 23 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns dominated the paint with 21 points and 17 rebounds. Jalen Brunson, though not as explosive as usual, hit two ice-cold free throws with 12.7 seconds left to give the Knicks the lead for good.
Boston, meanwhile, has no answers. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined to shoot just 13-of-42 from the field. The Celtics went an astonishing 0-for-14 from the floor during the Knicks’ fourth-quarter surge, a meltdown that has TD Garden in shock and the top-seeded Celtics suddenly in panic mode.
New York’s defense deserves much of the credit. The Knicks clamped down late, contesting every shot, forcing turnovers, and cutting off passing lanes. Head coach Tom Thibodeau’s defensive schemes have turned this series into a grind, and the Celtics simply haven’t responded.
FINAL SEQUENCE OF CELTICS-KNICKS GAME 2.
KNICKS COMPLETE BACK-TO-BACK 20-PT COMEBACK WINS TO LEAD SERIES 2-0 ? pic.twitter.com/OTYNfefsw0
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 8, 2025
Now, the series heads to Madison Square Garden, where a rejuvenated New York fan base will be ready to erupt. The Knicks are two wins away from reaching their first Eastern Conference Finals since 2000 — something no one predicted at the start of this series, especially against the team with the NBA’s best regular-season record.
Momentum is now squarely with the Knicks, and the pressure has shifted entirely to Boston. If the Celtics can’t find a way to answer the Knicks’ tenacity, their postseason could end far sooner than expected.
Can the Celtics recover, or are the Knicks writing one of the most unexpected playoff stories in recent memory? Game 3 will tell us everything.