The much-maligned New York Knicks — losers of eight of their last nine games against the Celtics — erased Boston’s 20-point lead in exactly 11 minutes, then broke Boston’s back in overtime, earning a 108-105 Eastern Conference semifinal Game 1 victory over the defending world champs Monday night.
It was as bad at it gets on Causeway Street and will surely embolden Spike Lee and the needy legions of Knicks fans who’ve waited a long time for a night like this.
Make no mistake: the Knicks deserved to win this game. They are Tomato Cans no more. They not only overcame Boston’s 20-point lead, they were able to dominate overtime on the road after Jalen Brunson’s soft layup rattled in and out of the hoop in the final second of regulation. It was a Frank Selvy moment that would have defeated a lot of teams but the Knicks just sucked it up and pantsed the champs in overtime.
Brunson and the rugged OG Anunoby each scored 29 for the winners and Tom Thibodeau’s charges played smashmouth defense for the full 53. Mikal Bridges played 51 minutes. Good for the Knicks. This is a series now and it’s going to be fun to go back and forth between TD Garden and Madison Square Garden.
The Celtics are still the champs and still the favorites, but it’s hard to swallow how badly they played in Game 1 against their New York cousins.
Boston made 15 of 60 3-point shots. They missed 45 threes, an NBA playoff record. They looked like Matt Young making pickoff throws in the direction of first base.
“There’s always five or 10 shots per game you want to be better at,” deadpanned Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla. “I thought throughout the night, for the most part, we fought for good looks throughout the game.”
Jaylen Brown was 1 for 10 from international waters and Jayson Tatum was 4 for 15. The Celtics had a whopping 59 rebounds, a stat only made possible because they missed so many shots. Kristaps Porzingis was scoreless in a mere 13 minutes and left the game for good before halftime with an illness.
Here’s the beginning of Boston’s overtime: turnover (24 seconds), turnover, Tatum airball.
Is it any surprise that the Knicks prevailed? This was an awakening for the Celtics and their cocky fans.
The Celts have 18 championship banners and a glowing HBO documentary on eight decades of greatness and a team capable of winning a second straight championship this spring. The poor Knicks haven’t won a banner since 1973 and have been patsies for the Bostons in the last couple of years.
With this playoff renewal of NBA Founding Fathers, there was buzz and sizzle in the Causeway Street gym before Game 1. The Celtics and Knicks haven’t dueled in any significant playoff series since 1984.
How did we know this wasn’t another ho-hum night vs. the Orlando Magic? Maybe because Patrick Ewing, the greatest New York Knick of them all, was in the house, sitting on the Knicks bench 2½ hours before tipoff.
The Celtics last played the Knicks in a second-round series 41 years ago. NBA MVP Larry Bird was at the height of his powers, Bernard King was the prince of New York City, and KC Jones was hanging out with Frank Sinatra, crooning in New York saloons after Celtics-Knicks games in New York City.
Those Celtics won that long-ago seven-game set and went on to win the world championship in a seven-game thriller against the Lakers. Boston basketball fans are hoping the same fate awaits the 2025 C’s.
The Knicks haven’t been able to beat Boston in the last two years. The Celts beat them four times in five meetings last year, so the Knicks went out and loaded up, bringing in Karl-Anthony Towns and Bridges to counter the super-human powers of the defending world champs. It cost them a ton of money, players, and draft picks. The result was one more win than last year and an 0-4 record against the Celtics, losing by an average of 16.2 points.
Remember Opening Night on Causeway Street? Ninety-six-year-old Bob Cousy came out for the banner raising-ring ceremony and the hosts once again demolished the Knicks, 132-109. When it was over, New York’s Josh Hart suggested that the Celtics should be drug-tested. Not so Monday. It was the Celtics who were in need of smelling salts when this one was over.
Game 2 is Wednesday night at TD Garden. Can’t wait.
This series just got a lot more interesting.
Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @dan_shaughnessy.
