NEW YORK, NY — The New York Knicks kept their push for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference alive with a hard-fought 112–106 win over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
Josh Hart took over down the stretch, scoring 15 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, including two clutch three-pointers in the final minute that sealed the victory. Jalen Brunson added 25 points and 10 assists, guiding New York’s offense in another pivotal late-season win.
The Knicks improved to 52–28, closing the gap to just two games behind Boston with only a pair of regular-season games remaining. With a 3–1 edge in the season series, New York holds the tiebreaker and remains firmly in contention for the second seed.
For Boston, Jayson Tatum led the way with 24 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists in his return to Madison Square Garden—the same court where he suffered a torn Achilles during last year’s playoffs. Despite a strong all-around performance, the Celtics couldn’t extend their four-game winning streak.
Boston was without star guard Jaylen Brown, who sat out with Achilles tendinitis. Payton Pritchard stepped up with 23 points, while Baylor Scheierman added 20, knocking down six of his seven attempts from beyond the arc.
New York’s victory also marked a milestone under head coach Mike Brown, surpassing last season’s win total as the team continues to build momentum heading into the postseason.
The Knicks will host the Toronto Raptors next, while the Celtics return home to face the New Orleans Pelicans as both teams prepare for the final stretch of the regular season.
