THE New York Knicks overcame a 20-point deficit to stun the Boston Celtics 108-105 in overtime in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series on Monday night (Tuesday, May 6, 2025, PH time).
Mikal Bridges’ steal from Jaylen Brown with a second left in overtime sealed the victory for New York.
Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 29 points each. Karl-Anthony Towns added 14 points and 13 rebounds for New York, which had lost all four regular-season games against its rival.
The defending champion Celtics were led by Jayson Tatum and Brown, both with 23 points. Boston struggled mightily from beyond the arc, missing a playoff-record 45 three-pointers. Derrick White contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Jrue Holiday returned to Boston’s starting lineup after missing the last three games of the first round due to a strained right hamstring, finishing with 16 points in 39 minutes. However, Kristaps Porzingis played only 13 minutes and did not return after halftime due to illness.
In overtime, Anunoby’s three-point play and Bridges’ three-pointer gave New York a 106-100 lead. Brown’s three-pointer with just over a minute remaining cut the deficit to 108-105, but it was Boston’s final score.
After Josh Hart missed a three-pointer and Tatum missed a jumper, Boston retrieved the rebound. Following a foul on Towns, the Celtics called timeout with three seconds left. In the ensuing play, Bridges stole the inbounds pass from Brown and secured the win for New York.
The game featured a dramatic end to regulation. New York erased a 16-point halftime deficit, entering the fourth quarter down 84-75. The Knicks then opened the fourth with an 8-0 run, eventually tying the game at 86.
After several lead changes, New York led 97-95 when White’s corner three-pointer put Boston back in front with 2:15 remaining. Anunoby responded with a three-pointer to give New York the lead again, but Holiday’s layup tied the game. Anunoby then missed a fadeaway jumper, and White grabbed the rebound, leading to a Boston timeout with 28 seconds left.
Tatum missed a three-pointer, and New York rebounded with 5.5 seconds left. Brunson’s give-and-go with Towns resulted in a missed layup, which Boston rebounded. Tatum’s lunging jumper at the buzzer also missed, sending the game to overtime.
Nuggets beat Thunder
The Denver Nuggets mounted a stunning comeback to defeat the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder 121-119 in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series, capped by Aaron Gordon’s game-winning three-pointer in the closing seconds.
Nikola Jokic delivered a dominant performance with 42 points and 22 rebounds for Denver.
Oklahoma City, which hadn’t played in over a week after a first-round sweep, saw its final desperation shot fall short.
Russell Westbrook, in his first playoff game in Oklahoma City as an opposing player, assisted on Gordon’s decisive basket.
Gordon finished the game with 22 points and 14 rebounds, and Jamal Murray contributed 21 points for the fourth-seeded Nuggets.
The game-winning sequence was set up by Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren missing two free throws with the Thunder leading by one point.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. / From the wires