The New York Knicks took a 3-1 series lead after winning a game four against the NBA champion Boston Celtics, which killed Jason Tatum to injury.
Jalen Brunson scored 26 of 39 points in the second half, making the New York Knicks the first home team to win the series by beating the Boston Celtics 121-113, taking a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference second round matchup.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges also scored 23 for the Knicks, who recovered from a 14-point third-quarter deficit on Monday night. OG Anunoby slowed down some key plays while contributing 20 points.
“They hit us early and obviously we went into the hole,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I loved the way we fought back, and showed a lot of toughness and more discipline in the second half and timely play. Everyone worked together on both ends of the floor.”
Boston star Jason Tatum maintained the possibility of a serious right ankle injury late in the contest. Tatum had 42 points, 8 rebounds, four assists and four steels. He knocked down seven three-pointers for the second-seeded Celtics, who wasted a 20-point lead while dropping the first two games of the series.
Tatum was rescued from the floor with his right foot kept in the air and later seen being shoved into the locker room, sitting in a gentle chair.
“I went back there and talked to the medical staff. They told me it was a lower body injury for Jason Tatum, so we get an MRI in the morning,” said Joe Matzla of the Celtics.
Derrick White made six three-pointers and scored 23 points, while Jalen Brown added 20 points and seven rebounds to Boston. Payton Pritchard added 12 points from the bench.
The Knicks will win Game 5 in Boston on Wednesday night to win the Best of Seven Series.
“We weren’t planning on being in this situation,” White said. “But we’re where we are. We have to find a way to win Game 5.”
3rd quarter explosion lifts wolves over warriors
In other playoff games on Monday, Anthony Edwards poured 11 of his 30 points into the gust of the third quarter, 17-0. The Minnesota Timberwolves moved within one of their second consecutive berth victory in the Western Conference Finals with a 117-110 road victory with the Golden State Warres in Game 4 in San Francisco.
Julius Randle led with 31 points, while Jaden McDaniels contributed 10 points and 13 rebounds to the sixth seeded Timberwolves.
Minnesota managed to win seven best series in Game 5 on Wednesday at Minneapolis.
Jonathan Cuminga scored a team high 23 points in the 7th seed Golden State, losing Curry to a hamstring injury during the Game 1 victory.
The Warriors previously announced that their outstanding point guards will be re-evaluated before Game 5.
Golden State took a 60-58 halftime lead and the game was tied to all 68 innings before Edwards turned the floater into a 3-point play to ignite a decisive run.
Edwards also filled in three pointers and a short jumper out of his 11 points, but Mike Conley and Donte Divinsenzo excavated shots from deep as part of a burst that lasts more than four minutes.
Edwards finished 6-6 on a three-point attempt, then randle 4-8 to help the Timberwolves surpass the Ark and outscored the Warriors 48-24. Minnesota shot 34-16 (47.1%) from across the arc, while the Warriors were 27-8 (29.6%).
“The third quarter was big,” said Timberwolves coach Chris Finch. “We thought we came out at halftime with attack and purpose, with the kind of attack and purpose, and attention to detail in defense is something we need from the start.
“(Edwards) was one of the people who were the most vocal at halftime and we needed to recognize what was going on there and get better. We started with him and set the tone.”
Jimmy Butler III scored just nine shots and totaled 14 points. Draymond Green also scored 14 points on seven rebounds, Buddy Heald scored 13, and Brandin Posiemski scored 11 to complement the four steels.
“(The Timberwolves) played a great game and obviously took it to us, and we have to bounce back,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We have the chance to extend the flight to Minneapolis tomorrow and the series. That’s the plan.”
