The New York Knicks staged another thrilling comeback, mirroring their earlier performance in Game 1, overcoming a daunting 20-point deficit to triumph over the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series held at TD Garden.

The Knicks executed a spectacular 21-2 run during the final quarter, seizing their first lead with 1:59 remaining in the game, following a crucial 18-foot jumper by star player Jalen Brunson. The Celtics struggled with a series of 13 missed shots, but Jayson Tatum managed to drive to the basket for a dunk, putting Boston ahead 90-89 with just 18.5 seconds on the clock.

However, Brunson’s clutch performance shone through as he drew a foul during his shot attempt, heading to the free-throw line where he successfully made both attempts, granting the Knicks a 91-90 lead with 12.7 seconds left.

The Celtics were afforded one last opportunity to win, but Tatum’s attempt to create a shot was thwarted by a pivotal steal from Mikal Bridges, sealing the Knicks’ consecutive comeback victory and establishing a 2-0 series lead. This was also Bridges’ second consecutive game-winning steal, having previously intercepted the ball from Jaylen Brown in the closing seconds of Game 1.

Josh Hart emerged as the scoring leader for the Knicks with 23 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a solid performance of 21 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. Brunson added 17 points, and Bridges scored all 14 of his points in the decisive fourth quarter.

Conversely, the Celtics saw Derrick White and Jaylen Brown each scoring 20 points, while Tatum struggled with his shooting, going 5-for-19 and finishing with 13 points along with 14 rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

Things took a different turn for Kristaps Porzingis, who, after missing the latter half of Game 1 due to illness, came off the bench for just the fifth time in his NBA career, recording eight points and four rebounds in just 14 minutes on the court.

In their prior game, the Celtics faced challenges from beyond the arc, missing 15 of 60 three-point attempts, which marked an NBA playoff record for the most missed threes in a game. Statistics continued to reflect their struggles as they only managed 10 of 40 in Game 2. Consequently, they now hold an NBA record for the most missed 3-pointers (75) in any two-game span.

Despite their shooting woes, the Celtics managed a strong late surge in the third quarter, orchestrating a 16-6 run, largely attributed to their defensive strategies, which helped them establish a lead of 73-53 as they transitioned into the fourth quarter.

As a historic note, this season has seen every road team winning in their respective conference semifinals for the first time in NBA playoff history, a trend that currently stands at 5-0 following the latest victory by the Knicks.

The series will now shift to New York, where Games 3 and 4 will be hosted at Madison Square Garden.