Before their Martin Luther King Day game, Boston and New York shared a lot in common: a disappointing first half of the season – the two franchises, expected around the top 4 but rather fighting for a play-in qualification – and a similar dynamic (four wins in five games for the Celtics, five out of six for the Knicks). They also knew they were going to play, remotely, for tenth place in the Eastern Conference.
And it was Boston (23 wins-22 losses) who prevailed with a stunning victory (from -18 to +12) over New Orleans (104-92), while New York (22-22, now 11 -12 at home) sank at home against Charlotte (87-97).
Monday evening, the two strongholds started at the same (false) pace, quickly outpaced by their opponent. Boston was surpassed in intensity by the Pelicans of the very impactful Lithuanian pivot Jonas Valanciunas (22 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists). Taking advantage of Celtics in watering can mode (2 of 18 from 3 points to start the game), they took control (42-24, 19th). Boston, notably guided by a lively Dennis Schröder (23 points 9 assists) and Jaylen Brown (23 units), has gradually stopped the bleeding and joined the locker room with an acceptable deficit (39-46).
Jayson Tatum and Miles Bridges, headliners
At the same time, New York was going through a similar nightmare, non-existent in the collective game, anemic in defense, and saw Charlotte, yet without her star leader LaMelo Ball, soar to the score (34-23 after a quarter, 62 -44 at the break). The Hornets were carried by the festival of Miles Bridges (38 points, career record including … 22 in the first quarter), well assisted by Terry Rozier (22 units).
The return from the locker room offered, on the other hand, two opposing scenarios. While the Knicks remained ghostly until the end, finally losing on a gap (-10) not reflecting their non-match in which the Frenchman Evan Fournier settled for 6 points (2/9, 2 assists in 25 minutes), the Celtics have completely turned the tide.
They owed it to one man in particular, their superstar Jayson Tatum, who, at the turn of the third and fourth quarters, suddenly got his hands on the game, chaining decisive actions and brilliant shots, between interceptions , assists (including one for a huge dunk from Aaron Nesmith on the counter-attack), spectacular baskets and dunks. The wing-back scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half. Once Boston took the lead on a basket from Schröder (71-69, 36th), he was no longer worried. A 13-3 in 3 minutes (from 63-67 to 76-69) folded the debates.
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