NEW YORK (AP) — RJ Barrett banked in a 3-pointer at the buzzer
to give the New York Knicks a 108-105 comeback victory over the
Boston Celtics on Thursday night.
Evan Fournier scored a career-high 41 points, and the Knicks
overcame a 24-point, second-quarter deficit. The teams will finish
the home-and-home set Saturday night in Boston.
Jayson Tatum scored 36 points for Boston. He tied it on a long
step-back jumper with just over a second to play. The Knicks
inbounded after a timeout, and Barrett banked in the long-distance
shot for the victory.
Julius Randle added 22 points for New York, Immanuel Quickley
had 16, and Barrett 13. The Knicks didn't lead until there were
just over two minutes left.
Dennis Schroder added 20 points for Boston, and Jaylen Brown had
16.
Robert Williams’ tip-in with 1:16 left in the first half gave
the Celtics their final 24-point lead before the Knicks ended the
quarter on an 8-0 run to pull to 63-47. Consecutive 3-pointers by
Barrett and Fournier brought the Knicks within 10 to open the
second half.
The Celtics re-established a 20-point lead, 81-61, on Schroder’s
3-point play with 5:33 left in the third quarter. Fournier followed
with back-to-back 3s, and the Knicks pulled to 82-73 on Quickley’s
3-point play with 1:44 remaining.
Randle’s driving layup with 23 seconds left brought the Knicks
to 84-77 heading into the final quarter. Boston built its lead back
up to eight points, but Fournier’s long jumper tied it at 96-96
with 4:04 left.
The Knicks took their first lead, 99-98, on Fournier's 3 with
2:06 to go.
After Tatum’s three-point play and Mitchell Robinson’s dunk,
Quickley’s floater gave the Knicks a 103-101 lead with 44 seconds
remaining.
Schroder turned the ball over on Boston’s next possession, and
Barrett made one of two free throws with 18 seconds left. Marcus
Smart made two free throws with 15 seconds left, and Randle made
one with 12 seconds remaining. Tatum then made his jumper before
Barrett ended it.
TIP-INS:
Celtics: Knick coach Tom Thibodeau was an assistant for the
Celtics from 2007-10. … Boston has lost three straight games at
Madison Square Garden.
Knicks: Ryan Arcidiacono was signed to a 10-day contract prior
to the game, but is sidelined with a sprained left ankle.
AND THE SEASON ISN’T HALFWAY OVER
Both teams have played 39 games this season, but no one has
appeared in every one. Fournier and Alec Burks have each missed
only one game for New York, while Smart has played in a
team-leading 36 games for Boston. Thirteen Knicks have started at
least one game, while the Celtics have had 11 starters.
UP NEXT
Celtics: Host New York on Saturday.
Knicks: New York visits Boston on Saturday.