The New York Knicks came to Boston on Tuesday night looking to build on a four-game win streak by defeating their Atlantic Division rivals. They got off to a hot start, outscoring the Celtics 32-21 in the first quarter, but it was Boston who dominated the next two quarters. Boston found their rhythm in the second and third quarters, outscoring New York 73-44 in that span. In the fourth quarter, New York mounted a comeback, thanks to the heroics of forward Mikal Bridges.
Bridges erupted for 30 of his 35 points in the second half, including 17 points in the fourth quarter. He did this to the tune of 12-for-17 shooting from the field, including an incredible 8-for-12 from beyond the arc.
After the game, head coach Mike Brown praised Bridges for leading New York's comeback. "He was feeling it and he was aggressive and I thought our guys did a good job trying to find him, and he hit some big shots for us," Brown said. "He was one of the guys trying to will us back into the game offensively."
Josh Hart also shot well from the perimeter, knocking down his first four triples in what ended as a 19-point performance. However, New York's captain Jalen Brunson struggled mightily. Brunson, who came into the matchup averaging 28.5 points per game, scored only 15 on 6-for-21 shooting.
Despite outscoring the Celtics by 12 in the final frame, Boston held on for a six-point victory, evening the season series between the two teams at one apiece.
The Knicks will face the Celtics next on Feb. 8 in Boston.
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