The New York Knicks entered their second-round series against the Boston Celtics as massive underdogs. However, the oddsmakers in Las Vegas clearly don’t hold a lot of weight in the Knicks’ locker room.
The Knicks have overcome two 20-point deficits to win the first two games of the series, and now are heading back to New York in hopes of closing out the series on their home court.
The key to the Knicks’ success has been their uncanny ability to turn things up defensively in the fourth quarter.
In Wednesday’s Game 2 victory, the Celtics went over eight minutes without a basket, allowing the Knicks to claw their way back and muscle out a 91-90 victory to leave the Boston crowd stunned.
Knicks wing Mikal Bridges made another game-deciding defensive play on Wednesday, just as he did in Game 1, this time forcing Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum to turn the ball over in the Celtics’ final possession of the game.
“Just finding ways to win,” Bridges said of what the Knicks have done through the first two games of the season, via ESPN.
Tatum went 5-19 in the game, with only one made basket in the fourth quarter, to finish the game with 13 points. Bridges, on the other hand, entered the fourth quarter with zero points, before finishing with 14 to outscore Tatum.
The series is far from over, but the Celtics have shockingly found themselves with their backs against the wall.
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.