Game ID: 22401151
Boston Celtics @ New York Knicks
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at 7:30 PM ET
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT1 Final
NYK 30 28 20 29 10 117BOS 27 25 31 24 12 119
BOS @ NYK ScoutingBOS @ NYK Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
NYK availability going into 4/01 · 1 day's restOUT Brunson missed 12 since 3/07, out tonight
OUT McBride missed 5 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Tucker missed 6 since 3/20, out tonight
OUT Payne missed 2 since 3/28, out tonight
BACK Wright back 3/25 after 2, 20 min since (145% of 14)
NYK availability going into 4/02 · back-to-backOUT Brunson missed 13 since 3/07, out tonight
OUT McBride missed 6 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Tucker missed 7 since 3/20, out tonight
OUT Payne missed 3 since 3/28, out tonight
BACK Wright back 3/25 after 2, 23 min since (164% of 14)
NEW Shamet 14 to 22 min over the last 5
NYK availability going into 4/05 · 2 days' restOUT Brunson missed 14 since 3/07, out tonight
OUT McBride missed 7 since 3/22, out tonight
OUT Tucker missed 8 since 3/20, out tonight
OUT Payne missed 4 since 3/28, returns tonight: 22 min (155% of 14)
NEW Wright 14 to 29 min over the last 5
NEW Shamet 14 to 24 min over the last 5
NYK availability going into 4/06 · back-to-backOUT Brunson missed 15 since 3/07, returns tonight: 34 min (96% of 36)
OUT McBride missed 8 since 3/22, returns tonight: 16 min (67% of 24)
OUT Robinson missed 2 since 4/02, returns tonight: 13 min (67% of 19)
OUT Tucker missed 9 since 3/20, out tonight
BACK Payne back 4/05 after 4, 22 min since (155% of 14)
NEW Wright 14 to 32 min over the last 5
NEW Shamet 14 to 26 min over the last 5
NYK availability going into 4/08 · 1 day's restOUT Tucker missed 10 since 3/20, out tonight
BACK Brunson back 4/06 after 15, 34 min since (96% of 36)
BACK McBride back 4/06 after 8, 16 min since (67% of 24)
BACK Robinson back 4/06 after 2, 13 min since (67% of 19)
BACK Payne back 4/05 after 4, 18 min since (126% of 14)
NEW Wright 14 to 32 min over the last 4
NEW Shamet 14 to 25 min over the last 5
NYK availability going into 4/10 · 1 day's restOUT Achiuwa missed 2 since 4/06, returns tonight: 40 min (215% of 18)
OUT Tucker missed 11 since 3/20, returns tonight: 27 min (172% of 16)
OUT Wright missed 2 since 4/06, returns tonight: 13 min (94% of 14)
BACK Brunson back 4/06 after 15, 36 min since (102% of 36)
BACK McBride back 4/06 after 8, 18 min since (77% of 24)
BACK Robinson back 4/06 after 2, 14 min since (75% of 19)
BACK Payne back 4/05 after 4, 16 min since (119% of 14)
NEW Shamet 14 to 22 min over the last 5
NYK availability going into 4/11 · back-to-backBACK Brunson back 4/06 after 15, 34 min since (95% of 36)
BACK McBride back 4/06 after 8, 25 min since (106% of 24)
BACK Robinson back 4/06 after 2, 14 min since (75% of 19)
BACK Achiuwa back 4/10 after 2, 40 min since (215% of 18)
BACK Tucker back 4/10 after 11, 27 min since (172% of 16)
BACK Payne back 4/05 after 4, 16 min since (115% of 14)
BACK Wright back 4/10 after 2, 13 min since (94% of 14)
NYK availability going into 4/13 · 1 day's restBACK Brunson back 4/06 after 15, 35 min since (96% of 36)
BACK McBride back 4/06 after 8, 23 min since (98% of 24)
BACK Robinson back 4/06 after 2, 20 min since (108% of 19)
BACK Achiuwa back 4/10 after 2, 27 min since (148% of 18)
BACK Tucker back 4/10 after 11, 27 min since (172% of 16)
BACK Payne back 4/05 after 4, 15 min since (109% of 14)
BACK Wright back 4/10 after 2, 13 min since (94% of 14)
NYK availability going into 4/19 · 5 days' restOUT Towns missed 2 since 4/11, returns tonight: 39 min (112% of 35)
BACK Brunson back 4/06 after 15, 35 min since (96% of 36)
BACK McBride back 4/06 after 8, 25 min since (104% of 24)
BACK Robinson back 4/06 after 2, 20 min since (108% of 19)
BACK Achiuwa back 4/10 after 2, 29 min since (158% of 18)
BACK Tucker back 4/10 after 11, 28 min since (180% of 16)
BACK Wright back 4/10 after 2, 17 min since (121% of 14)
NEW Shamet 14 to 19 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 3/31 · 1 day's restOUT Norris missed 11 since 3/08, out tonight
BACK Brown back 3/24 after 3, 28 min since (81% of 35)
NEW Hauser 21 to 28 min over the last 4
NEW Scheierman 12 to 20 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 4/02 · 1 day's restOUT Queta missed 2 since 3/29, returns tonight: 19 min (141% of 13)
OUT Norris missed 12 since 3/08, out tonight
OUT Craig missed 2 since 3/29, returns tonight: 19 min (189% of 10)
BACK Brown back 3/24 after 3, 28 min since (81% of 35)
NEW Hauser 21 to 27 min over the last 4
NEW Kornet 18 to 24 min over the last 4
NEW Scheierman 12 to 18 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 4/04 · 1 day's restOUT Norris missed 13 since 3/08, out tonight
BACK Brown back 3/24 after 3, 28 min since (81% of 35)
BACK Queta back 4/02 after 2, 19 min since (141% of 13)
BACK Craig back 4/02 after 2, 19 min since (189% of 10)
NEW Kornet 18 to 24 min over the last 4
BOS availability going into 4/06 · 1 day's restOUT Norris missed 14 since 3/08, out tonight
BACK Queta back 4/02 after 2, 10 min since (78% of 13)
BACK Craig back 4/02 after 2, 19 min since (189% of 10)
BOS availability going into 4/08 · 1 day's restOUT Norris missed 15 since 3/08, out tonight
BACK Queta back 4/02 after 2, 9 min since (69% of 13)
BACK Craig back 4/02 after 2, 18 min since (175% of 10)
NEW Kornet 18 to 24 min over the last 4
BOS availability going into 4/09 · back-to-backOUT Norris missed 16 since 3/08, returns tonight: 19 min (165% of 12)
BACK Queta back 4/02 after 2, 9 min since (69% of 13)
BACK Craig back 4/02 after 2, 18 min since (175% of 10)
BOS availability going into 4/11 · 1 day's restOUT Horford missed 2 since 4/08, returns tonight: 28 min (97% of 28)
BACK Queta back 4/02 after 2, 13 min since (100% of 13)
BACK Norris back 4/09 after 16, 19 min since (165% of 12)
BACK Craig back 4/02 after 2, 21 min since (210% of 10)
NEW Scheierman 12 to 19 min over the last 4
BOS availability going into 4/13 · 1 day's restOUT Brown missed 2 since 4/09, out tonight
BACK Horford back 4/11 after 2, 28 min since (97% of 28)
BACK Norris back 4/09 after 16, 19 min since (165% of 12)
NEW Scheierman 12 to 17 min over the last 4
NEW Craig 10 to 19 min over the last 3
BOS availability going into 4/20 · 6 days' restOUT Brown missed 3 since 4/09, returns tonight: 30 min (88% of 35)
BACK Horford back 4/11 after 2, 28 min since (97% of 28)
BACK Norris back 4/09 after 16, 15 min since (133% of 12)
NEW Kornet 18 to 24 min over the last 5
NEW Scheierman 12 to 26 min over the last 4
NEW Craig 10 to 19 min over the last 4
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New York comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 102, shooting 49 percent and 40 from three, 20 free throws a game; Anunoby at 27 and Towns at 21 a game. Without Tucker (10 straight). One day's rest. Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 106, shooting 47 percent and 36 from three, 16 free throws a game; Tatum at 23 and Brown at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 15 a night. One day's rest.
So: New York wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Boston has been plus-15 a night and New York plus-2 and the turnovers, New York giving it away 14 times a game to Boston's 11. Call it New York 112, Boston 111, Boston keeping it close.
4/01 vs PHI 105-91 — NYK notes
NYK won 105-91. NYK shot 42% (36 of 85) to PHI's 42%, 12 of 31 from three. Anunoby led with 27 (7 of 16, 2 of 9 from three, 11 of 13 at the line); Shamet added 20, Bridges 14. The hinge was Q1, 35-26: from level to 9 ahead, and the lead reached 23. Bridges was the night's best plus/minus at +23.
4/02 @ CLE 105-124 — NYK notes
NYK lost 105-124. NYK shot 44% (40 of 90) to CLE's 53%, 11 of 36 from three. Towns led with 25 (9 of 16, 1 of 3 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Anunoby added 23, Hart 19. Q1 was theirs, 34-28, but the other 3 periods went 96-71 against them. They led by as many as 15. Bridges's -18 in 36 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/05 @ ATL 121-105 — NYK notes
NYK won 121-105. NYK shot 54% (45 of 84) to ATL's 47%, 15 of 29 from three, and went to the line 19 times to ATL's 12 — 16 points from the stripe to their 9. Towns led with 30 (10 of 15, 2 of 3 from three, 8 of 9 at the line); Anunoby added 24, Bridges 20. The hinge was Q2, 40-22: a lead of 7 became 25, and the lead reached 34. Towns was the night's best plus/minus at +27.
4/06 vs PHX 112-98 — NYK notes
NYK won 112-98. NYK shot 54% (40 of 74) to PHX's 42%, 12 of 28 from three. Anunoby led with 32 (13 of 17, 6 of 8 from three); Bridges added 22, Towns 19. The hinge was Q3, 34-27: a lead of 10 became 17. Towns was the night's best plus/minus at +16.
4/08 vs BOS 117-119 — NYK notes
NYK lost 117-119 in 1 overtime. NYK took 14 more shots (101 to 87), fed by 17 offensive rebounds, but shot 48% to BOS's 46%, 11 of 38 from three, and got to the line 16 times to BOS's 25. The glass went 52-38 for them. Towns led with 34 (14 of 21, 1 of 3 from three, 5 of 7 at the line); Brunson added 27, Bridges 14. Q4 was theirs, 29-24, the deficit cut from 5 to 0, but the other 4 periods went 95-88 against them. They led by as many as 11.
4/10 @ DET — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Detroit comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 117, shooting 41 percent and 31 from three, 27 free throws a game; Hardaway Jr. at 19 and Beasley at 17 a game. It has lost the glass by 11 a night. Without Harris (3 straight), Smith (17 straight), Harper Jr. (29 straight). 2 days' rest. New York comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 107, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 20 free throws a game; Towns at 27 and Anunoby at 24 a game. Without Achiuwa (2 straight), Tucker (11 straight). One day's rest.
So: New York wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where New York has been plus-3 a night and Detroit minus-11 and the arc, New York at 38 percent from three to Detroit's 31. Call it New York 113, Detroit 112, Detroit keeping it close.
4/11 vs CLE — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New York comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 112, shooting 49 percent and 36 from three, 18 free throws a game; Towns at 27 and Anunoby at 23 a game. Second night of a back-to-back. Cleveland comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 113, shooting 49 percent and 40 from three, 15 free throws a game; Mitchell at 24 and Jerome at 21 a game. Without Mitchell (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: New York wins, and the game turns on the arc, Cleveland at 40 percent from three to New York's 36. Call it New York 116, Cleveland 115, Cleveland keeping it close.
4/13 @ BKN — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Brooklyn comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 104 a night and allowing 118, shooting 43 percent and 35 from three, 19 free throws a game; Wilson at 14 and Watford at 14 a game. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Clowney (6 straight). One day's rest. New York comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 109, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 19 free throws a game; Towns at 27 and Anunoby at 21 a game. That is 3 straight losses. One day's rest.
So: New York wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where New York has been plus-1 a night and Brooklyn minus-6 and the defense, New York allowing 109 a night to Brooklyn's 118. Call it New York 113, Brooklyn 109, Brooklyn keeping it close.
4/19 vs DET — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New York comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 109, shooting 46 percent and 36 from three, 20 free throws a game; Towns at 26 and Brunson at 21 a game. Without Towns (2 straight). 5 days' rest. Detroit comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 121, shooting 48 percent and 36 from three, 20 free throws a game; Cunningham at 33 and Beasley at 16 a game. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Stewart (2 straight). 5 days' rest.
So: New York wins, and the game turns on the defense, New York allowing 109 a night to Detroit's 121 and the glass, where New York has been plus-1 a night and Detroit minus-6. Call it New York 116, Detroit 113, Detroit keeping it close.
3/31 @ MEM 117-103 — BOS notes
BOS won 117-103. BOS shot 41% (39 of 96) to MEM's 45%, 21 of 62 from three. Horford led with 26 (9 of 18, 6 of 13 from three); Tatum added 25, Porziņģis 19. The hinge was Q2, 41-29: BOS came in trailing by 7 and left it ahead by 5, and the lead reached 15. Porziņģis was the night's best plus/minus at +29.
4/02 vs MIA 103-124 — BOS notes
BOS lost 103-124. BOS shot 45% (39 of 87) to MIA's 52%, 12 of 43 from three, and got to the line 16 times to MIA's 27. BOS turned it over 13 times to MIA's 4, and MIA turned those into 9 steals. Brown led with 24 (10 of 20, 2 of 6 from three); Tatum added 16, White 16. Q3 was theirs, 36-32, the deficit cut from 14 to 10, but the other 3 periods went 92-67 against them. Craig's -23 in 19 minutes was the worst on the floor.
4/04 vs PHX 123-103 — BOS notes
BOS won 123-103. BOS shot 52% (45 of 87) to PHX's 44%, 14 of 39 from three, and went to the line 22 times to PHX's 11 — 19 points from the stripe to their 9. Brown led with 31 (10 of 16, 3 of 4 from three, 8 of 9 at the line); Tatum added 23, Porziņģis 15. The hinge was Q1, 31-22: from level to 9 ahead, and the lead reached 25. White was the night's best plus/minus at +28.
4/06 vs WAS 124-90 — BOS notes
BOS won 124-90. BOS shot 49% (48 of 98) to WAS's 41%, 24 of 52 from three. The glass went 62-32 for them. Pritchard led with 20 (8 of 18, 4 of 11 from three); White added 19, Hauser 18. The hinge was Q1, 34-18: from level to 16 ahead, and the lead reached 36. Pritchard was the night's best plus/minus at +27.
4/08 @ NYK 119-117 — BOS notes
BOS won 119-117 in 1 overtime. BOS shot 46% (40 of 87) to NYK's 48%, 19 of 49 from three, and went to the line 25 times to NYK's 16 — 20 points from the stripe to their 10. The glass went 38-52 against them. Porziņģis led with 34 (11 of 19, 8 of 13 from three, 4 of 6 at the line); Tatum added 32, Holiday 16. The hinge was Q3, 31-20: BOS came in trailing by 6 and left it ahead by 5. BOS trailed 52-58 at the half and won the second half 67-59. Hauser was the night's best plus/minus at +9.
4/09 @ ORL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Orlando comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 110 a night and allowing 100, shooting 47 percent and 39 from three, 23 free throws a game; Banchero at 28 and Wagner at 23 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without da Silva (3 straight). Second night of a back-to-back. Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 107, shooting 46 percent and 37 from three, 18 free throws a game; Tatum at 24 and Porziņģis at 23 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 9 a night. Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Orlando wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Boston has been plus-9 a night and Orlando plus-1 and the defense, Orlando allowing 100 a night to Boston's 107. Call it Orlando 110, Boston 109, Boston keeping it close.
4/11 vs CHA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 109 a night and allowing 106, shooting 46 percent and 34 from three, 15 free throws a game; Tatum at 24 and Brown at 19 a game. It has won the glass by 6 a night. Without Horford (2 straight). One day's rest. Charlotte comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 104 a night and allowing 125, shooting 46 percent and 30 from three, 25 free throws a game; Nurkić at 16 and Bridges at 16 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Gra. Williams (64 straight). One day's rest.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the defense, Boston allowing 106 a night to Charlotte's 125 and the glass, where Boston has been plus-6 a night and Charlotte minus-4. Call it Boston 117, Charlotte 105, Boston by 12.
4/13 vs CHA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 100, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 14 free throws a game; Tatum at 24 and Porziņģis at 20 a game. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Brown (2 straight). One day's rest. Charlotte comes in 0-5 over its last five, scoring 102 a night and allowing 127, shooting 43 percent and 30 from three, 23 free throws a game; Nurkić at 16 and Bridges at 15 a game. That is 5 straight losses. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Diabaté (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the defense, Boston allowing 100 a night to Charlotte's 127 and the glass, where Boston has been plus-5 a night and Charlotte minus-6. Call it Boston 119, Charlotte 103, Boston by 16.
4/20 vs ORL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 97, shooting 45 percent and 37 from three, 12 free throws a game; Pritchard at 20 and White at 17 a game. Without Brown (3 straight). 6 days' rest. Orlando comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 112 a night and allowing 103, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 20 free throws a game; Banchero at 27 and Wagner at 24 a game. Without Banchero (2 straight), Wagner (2 straight). 6 days' rest.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the line, where Orlando takes 20 free throws a game to Boston's 12 and the defense, Boston allowing 97 a night to Orlando's 103. Call it Boston 110, Orlando 104.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
NYKCP C. Payne
JB J. Brunson
JH J. Hart
KT K. Towns
LS L. Shamet
MB M. Bridges
MM M. McBride
MR M. Robinson
OA O. Anunoby
BOSDW D. White
JB J. Brown
JH J. Holiday
JT J. Tatum
KP K. Porziņģis
LK L. Kornet
PP P. Pritchard
PO Porzingis
SH S. Hauser
NYK/BOS the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Porzingis and Tatum make big 3-pointers as Celtics beat Knicks 119-117 in overtime
NEW YORK -- — Kristaps Porzingis made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 40 seconds left in overtime after Jayson Tatum 's 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds remaining forced the extra period, and the Boston Celtics completed a season sweep of the New York Knicks with a 119-117 victory Tuesday night.
Porzingis matched his season high with 34 points on his 30-footer. Tatum added 32 points as the Celtics extended their road winning streak to nine and improved to 33-7 away from Boston.
They had routed the Knicks by 23, 27 and 13 in the three previous meetings, but needed to fight beyond 48 minutes for this one.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 34 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks. Jalen Brunson added 27 points and nine assists in a strong second game back after a 15-game absence with a sprained right ankle.
Takeaways Celtics: Boston became locked into the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference during the game when Cleveland completed its victory over Chicago. But the Celtics' road success won't leave them with any concerns about potential conference finals matchup without home-court advantage.
Knicks: Maybe New York got some confidence against Boston after not leading by more than one point in any of the first three matchups. But this loss probably hurt more than any of those.
Key moment The Knicks took a three-point lead on Josh Hart 's basket with 11 seconds remaining in regulation but chose not to foul the Celtics, who made more 3-pointers this season than any team in NBA history. Tatum then made his to even it up at 107.
Key stat The Celtics are 20-4 since the All-Star break.
Up next The Knicks visit Detroit on Thursday in a possible playoff preview. The Celtics are at Orlando on Wednesday.