New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) blocks a pass by Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum in the final seconds of the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
BOSTON — Mikal Bridges sealed another 20-point comeback with his second straight game-ending steal and the New York Knicks stunned the Boston Celtics again Wednesday night, winning 91-90 for an improbable 2-0 lead in the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals.
Jalen Brunson scored 17 points for New York and made two free throws with 12.7 seconds left for a 91-90 lead. Jayson Tatum then couldn’t get to the rim and Bridges moved in to bat the ball away and recover it.
READ: NBA: Knicks rise from 20 down, stun Celtics in OT to take Game 1
Bridges also scored all of his 14 points in the fourth quarter. Josh Hart had 23 points and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 21 points and 17 rebounds for the Knicks, who will host Game 3 on Saturday.
Jaylen Brown and Derrick White scored 20 points apiece for the Celtics, who were 10 for 40 from 3-point range after going 15 for 60 in Game 1.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) takes a three-point shot over Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) during the second half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Tatum was limited to 13 points on 5-for-19 shooting for the Celtics, who went more than eight minutes without a field goal in the fourth quarter.
Teams that win the first two games of a best-of-seven series on the road win the series 85.7% of the time. The Knicks took the opener when Bridges stole the ball away from Brown with a second left in overtime.
READ: NBA: For the first time, road teams go 4-0 to open conference semifinals
Kristaps Porzingis didn’t start after sitting out the second half of Game 1 with an illness. He came off the bench for just the fifth time in his NBA career and finished with eight points and four rebounds in 14 minutes.
All eyes were on the Celtics’ offense after they missed an NBA-record 45 3-pointers in their Game 1 loss. They went 24 for 54 from 2-point range Wednesday.
Despite their shooting struggles, the Celtics found some traction late in the third quarter, using a 16-6 run – keyed by their effort on the defensive end – to turn a 10-point lead into a 73-53 advantage late in the period.
It was 84-68 after Payton Pritchard’s 3-pointer with 8:40 to play but the Celtics wouldn’t make another basket until Tatum’s driving dunk with 18.5 seconds remaining.
New York cut it to 86-82 on a floater by Hart before Towns’ three-point play cut it to 86-85. Tatum missed a jumper, and Brunson made an 18-footer to put New York in front.
A jumper by Brown rolled off the rim on Boston’s next trip up the floor. Brunson then found a lane to the basket and dropped in a layup to make it 89-86.
Tatum connected on a pair of free throws and then got it back following a New York miss that rolled out of bounds with 24.2 seconds left.
Trailing 89-88, Tatum pushed the ball in to the front court and drove easily past Mitchell Robinson for a dunk to put the Celtics back in front.
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Brunson was fouled and connected on both free throws.
