The Celtics blew a golden opportunity to go up 1-0 in the series vs the Knicks. Instead, they are down 0-1 and have lost home-court advantage.

On the Knicks' side, head coach Tom Thibodeau continued to lean heavily on his starters. Mikal Bridges played 51-of-53 total minutes, though he was the only starter not to score in double figures, finishing with eight points. OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson led New York with 29 points apiece, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart each contributed 14.

With Brunson’s dominant fourth quarter in Game 1, he made NBA playoff history as he became just the third player since 1997-98 to score 75 or more points in the fourth quarter through their first seven games of a postseason run. Brunson joins Stephen Curry, who did so in 2023, and Kobe Bryant, who accomplished it in 2008.