Boston survives New York’s final push
The New York Knicks erased most of a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit but could not complete the comeback Friday night, losing 107–103 to the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Jayson Tatum scored 36 points, including nine in the final period, as Boston answered each of New York’s late challenges and left the defending champions 0–2 to begin the season.
Tatum added nine rebounds and seven assists. Paul George and reserve center Neemias Queta scored 15 points apiece for Boston, while Derrick White finished with 12. The Celtics moved to 1–1 after their own opening loss.
New York found production across the lineup
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 22 points and 10 rebounds. OG Anunoby added 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Josh Hart produced a third double-double with 10 points and 12 boards. Miles McBride supplied 20 points from the bench, while Jalen Brunson scored 19.
Those contributions kept New York within range despite Boston’s late control. The Celtics pushed the margin to 94–82 on a three-point play by Queta, their third 12-point lead of the fourth quarter. New York then forced seven consecutive Boston misses and scored nine straight points. Towns’ dunk made it 94–91 with 4:09 remaining.
The next sequence changed the finish. Towns missed a long three-point attempt, and Tatum ended Boston’s scoring drought with a layup. Brunson later made a fallaway jumper to trim the score to 99–98 with 1:41 left. After a Boston timeout, Tatum hit a turnaround shot over Hart. Towns was called for an illegal screen on New York’s next possession, and Tatum followed with another difficult jumper before adding a three-pointer.
The margins were in execution
Anunoby’s free throws and McBride’s late three kept the Knicks alive, but Boston preserved the lead, with Payton Pritchard making one free throw with 11 seconds remaining. The result was New York’s second consecutive loss for the first time since dropping Games 2 and 3 of last spring’s first-round playoff series against Atlanta.
Two games are not enough to define a season, especially for a team coming off a championship run. They can, however, expose early habits. New York showed it could generate stops and spread scoring responsibility when the game tightened. The missed opportunity came in turning that defensive stretch into a lead before Boston’s best scorer regained control.
The matchup also carried a personnel note. Former Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, the only member of New York’s championship rotation who did not return, finished with four points and four rebounds in a little more than 22 minutes for Boston. His modest box score did not prevent the Celtics from using multiple frontcourt options around Tatum.
An early reset for the champions
The Knicks leave Boston with consecutive close losses: 106–100 to Philadelphia on banner night and now a four-point defeat against a division rival. The offense has produced balanced individual lines, but late possessions and sustained defense remain unfinished work. Both games stayed within reach deep into the fourth quarter.
The encouraging part was the response after falling behind by double digits. The concern was needing that surge and still giving Tatum enough room to decide the final ninety seconds. New York’s next games will show whether the slow start is merely a brief championship hangover or an early signal that its execution needs sharper attention.
Source: Reuters game report. Reporting reviewed October 24, 2026.