With the best record in the NBA and No. 1 overall seed for the playoffs already locked up, the Boston Celtics made an odd decision against the New York Knicks on Thursday night. Instead of resting players, as they have done in recent games, they made their entire roster available for the game.
Was this their last dry run with a full lineup before the NBA Playoffs kick off next weekend? Whatever the reason may be, it backfired on the Celtics as they likely provided an already rising Knicks team with even more confidence.
New York went into Boston and destroyed the Celtics. The final score of 118-109 doesn’t provide the full picture of how the game went as the Knicks were leading by 29 points heading into the fourth quarter until the Celtics’ deep reserves went on a 3-point shooting barrage.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jalen Brunson, Brian Scalabrine, Eddie House, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks Updates
While the Celtics had nothing to play for, it had to be concerning to see how their top-ranked defense was getting picked apart by the Knicks. Leading the charge in that was their star point guard, Jalen Brunson.
Brunson has been on a tear for weeks, cementing his status as one of the best players in the NBA despite some hesitancy from media pundits to admit that. He has put the Knicks on his back and is carrying them into the postseason as a star player is expected to do.
Nothing that the Celtics threw at him defensively phased him. Whatever head coach Joe Mazzulla tried, Brunson had a counter for. Whether it was getting aggressive looking for his shot or getting his teammates involved with his playmaking, Brunson had an answer.
Brunson scored 39 points with four assists without stepping on the court in the fourth quarter. It was a performance that even former NBA players turned Celtics analysts Brian Scalabrine and Eddie House could only marvel at.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Jalen Brunson, Brian Scalabrine, Eddie House, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks Updates
It is refreshing to see analysts, especially ones of the team Brunson and the Knicks just destroyed, giving him some praise. Some within the media continue moving the goalposts back for New York and their point guard, but two former NBA players who have been around superstars in their careers know what they saw.
Brunson is playing at a ridiculously high level and is showing no signs of slowing down. It wasn’t the first masterclass that Brunson has put on this season and the Knicks are certainly hoping it won’t be the last. With a healthy OG Anunoby back in the lineup, they have become a very dangerous team, one that no one wants to be matched up against in the NBA Playoffs.
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