For the first time in 25 years, the New York Knicks have punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final with a 119-81 blowout victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.
The Knicks led by as much as 41, with a 92-51 lead with 1:51 to go in the third quarter. New York carried a 64-37 lead into the second half and only continued to build upon that lead — the first time all series they were in the driver’s seat for the majority of a game.
“We knew we would have to play 48 minutes against them; they’re terrific on both sides of the ball,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said.
From the opening tip, the Knicks dominated the Celtics. Boston never really had a clean shooting lane, as they shot 36% from the field and 29.3% from behind the arc.
The Knicks, on the other hand, shot 46.2% from the field and 34.8% from three-point land.
The big men in the blue and orange dominated in the paint, as they out-rebounded the Celtics 55-36 and 15-nine on the offensive glass.
“No, you’ve got to win games different ways,” Thibodeau said when asked if there was a different approach to this game than others in this series. “Every game is different. There’s really no carryover from one game to the next.”
New York didn’t have one player that outshined the rest, it was a team win. Six players reached double figures, including all five starters and Miles McBride off the bench.
OG Anunoby led all scorers with 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds as well. As per usual, he made his presence felt on the defensive side of the ball, adding a pair of steals and rebounds to his statline.
Karl-Anthony Towns led all scorers with 21 points, and he snagged 11 rebounds to complete the double-double.
Josh Hart didn’t have a 30-point night, but he still recorded a triple-double nonetheless. Hart recorded 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. He was the first Knick to record a triple-double since Clyde Frazier in 1971-72.
Jalen Brunson finished with 23 points, six rebounds, and two assists, shooting at a 57% clip from the field and 37.5% from behind the arc.
After getting swept by the Celtics in the regular season four games to none, the Knicks won in multiple different ways. They overcame two 20-point deficits in Games 1 and 2 and erased another double-digit deficit in Game 4. Then in Game 6, they dominated in all facets of the game and earned themselves a 38-point victory.
It’s been 26 years since the Knicks last made it to the NBA finals, where they ultimately fell to the San Antonio Spurs in five games. New York checked off one box by snapping the 25-year drought since they made it to the Eastern Conference finals, but they have a couple more boxes in their sights.
If they make it to the Finals, they’ll snap the 26-year drought, but if the Knicks take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy, they’ll snap a 52-year championship drought.
There’s plenty of work to be done to win their first championship since 1973, but it’ll start with facing off against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday at the Garden. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET.
“They’re an excellent basketball team,” Thibodeau said about the Pacers. “Strong on both sides of the ball, their ability to push the ball to defensive transition … You’ve got to be very disciplined in your approach.”
