The New York Knicks toppled the Boston Celtics 121-113 to go up 3-1 in their Eastern Conference semifinals series. However, just moments after the final buzzer sounded, team captain Jalen Brunson made sure to calm down some of his teammates.
“I was actually telling everyone to get off the court. I was like, it’s nothing to celebrate,” said Brunson after the game, according to ESPN, in which he finished with 39 points and 12 assists.
Brunon scored 18 points in the third quarter to help the Knicks turn a 14-point deficit into a 3-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
“The way we responded is what I’m most proud of. Sticking together. Most of all, not quitting,” he said.
It was anything but a perfect start from the Knicks, who allowed Celtics guard Derrick White to get off a number of good looks from distance early in the game.
“There was a lot of miscommunication,” Knicks forward Mikal Bridges said of White’s open shots. “Later in the game, we did better, and they were making a lot of tough shots. We can live with that. But early, you can’t let that happen on [defense].”
Brunson is set on making sure nobody loses sight of the ultimate goal, which entails much more than going up 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Semis.
“I think [tonight] was a sense of urgency, desperation. Knowing that we had a great opportunity against a really good team,” Brunson said. “I don’t even think we’re playing our best basketball yet.
“We have a team that’s still fairly new this year, and we have a long way to go be the best team we can be. There’s always time to learn for us. We’re never satisfied, and that’s the mentality.”
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.