Despite all the stars packed into Madison Square Garden for Saturday night’s clash between Eastern Conference foes, it was Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum who shined brightest.
With the likes of Denzel Washington and Spike Lee sitting courtside to cheer on their beloved New York Knicks, Tatum scored a game-high 40-points to lead visiting Boston to a statement 131-104 victory. Tatum’s 40 points were the second most he’s netted in a game this season — he finished with 43 in a win over the Bulls on Dec. 21 — and moves him into ninth place on the Celtics’ all-time scoring list.
“I’m really grateful that I get to coach him, so I don’t take that for granted,” Mazzulla told reporters when asked about Tatum surpassing Celtics greats Dave Cowens and Jo Jo White on the team’s all-time scoring list. “That’s big-time for him. He does it the right way. For him to be able to accomplish that while focusing on winning and being a great teammate is really important. And I think he’s still underrated. He’s one of the best players out there.”
If underrated by the Madison Square Garden faithful before tip-off, the recently named five-time All-Star starter will be anything but the next time he steps onto the hardwood of the world’s brightest stage. Tatum connected on a relentless seven three-pointers in the contest and scored 19 of his 40 points in the third quarter alone.
Even tougher to swallow for Knicks fans, is the focus coach Tom Thibodeau’s squad put into slowing Tatum, who also finished with six rebounds and four assists, and his Celtics teammates. This after Boston delt the Knicks a 23-point loss the last time the teams met in New York in what was the season opener for both teams — a game in which Tatum dropped an impressive 37 points.
Simply put, the Knicks — who rank third in the Eastern Conference and strive to attain what the Celtics achieved last season in an NBA championship — were even worse Saturday.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Knicks forward Karl Anthony Towns told reporters after the game. “Simple as that. There’s no sugarcoating it. If we’ve got aspirations, which I know we do, then we’ve got to find ways to win games like tonight. That’s a team that’s in the race. Great teams, championship teams, they test your discipline. And we’ve got to work on keeping our discipline for all 48 [minutes].”
Jalen Brunson, who Friday said he was looking forward to seeing how his team measured up against the reigning NBA champs since acquiring Towns and Mikal Bridges, was equally disgusted.
“Unacceptable,” he said despite finishing with a team-high 36 points.
Tatum wasn’t the only one who had a big night in green in the Big Apple.
Payton Pritchard shot a lethal 6-for-8 from three-point-land, and scored 15 of his 25 points in the decisive fourth quarter that saw the Celtics pull away for good. And per usual, this productivity came off the bench for a shorthanded Boston team that was without Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Jrue Holiday (shoulder).
Celtics starters Derrick White (17 points), Luke Kornet (14 points, 12 rebounds) and Jaylen Brown (12 points) also finished in double figures, while Neemias Queta (11 points, eight rebounds) made the most of his added playtime.
New York, who headed into Saturday the winners of seven of its last eight games, will try and bounce back Tuesday when it travels to face the Indiana Pacers (29-22). The Pacers lost by eight to the Lakers in their last outing.
Boston, on the other hand, have now won five of its last six games and will try and improve on that streak Monday in Miami (25-25). The now Jimmy Butler-less Heat dropped a 16-point bout with the Nets in their last outing.
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