If you rolled into this postseason expecting last year’s champs to coast through the East, you weren’t alone. The Celtics steamrolled to 61 wins, spent most of the winter looking like a cheat code, and brought back essentially every meaningful piece from their title run.

The Knicks were solid and scrappy, sure — but their record against the top teams had people saying they could get swept in this round. Yet here we are, two games into the Eastern semifinals, and Madison Square Garden is getting ready for a series that’s somehow Knicks 2, Celtics 0.

Stealing one on the road is tough. Stealing two — after spotting Boston 20‑point cushions in both games — borders on being downright disrespectful. So, how did Tom Thibodeau’s crew flip the script? 

Regular‑Season Resumes & First‑Round Tune‑ups

Boston finished the regular season with a strong 61–21 record and comfortably locked up the No. 2 seed in the East. They were dominant for long stretches, especially at home, and rolled into the playoffs with expectations sky-high. In Round 1, they faced a young and gritty Orlando Magic team that pushed them a bit harder than expected. Orlando even stole Game 3, and Paolo Banchero gave Boston some real problems at times.

But the Celtics ultimately handled business in five games, leaning on their depth and experience to pull away late in most of the games. They weren’t rattled, but they also didn’t have to dig too deep — something that might be catching up with them now in Round 2.

New York entered this postseason as a battle-tested 3-seed after finishing the regular season 51–31. That record doesn’t tell the whole story, though. They looked solid on paper, but the Knicks really struggled against elite teams all season. They went winless against the league’s top three squads (Celtics, Cavs, and Thunder) and had one of the worst records against winning teams of any 50-win club in the last two decades.

Their first-round series against the sixth-seeded Detroit Pistons turned into a slugfest. Detroit was young but hungry, and Cade Cunningham gave New York real problems. The Knicks took care of business in six games, but they had to grind for every win. Brunson carried the load as expected, but it was the team’s collective defense — and some timely buckets from Josh Hart and Bridges — that made the difference. Nothing came easy, but it set the tone for a team that looks totally unfazed now that the lights are brighter in Round 2.

Game 1: A Twenty‑Point Head Start, Gift‑Wrapped Back

TD Garden was rocking early. The Celtics raced to a 66–46 lead halfway through the third by bombing threes the way they’ve done all season. Then the fuse fizzled. Boston missed 45 triples on 60 attempts — both a playoff record — and watched a 20‑point lead evaporate in a rush of contested step‑backs and aimless possessions.

On the other side, the Knicks never panicked. Brunson and OG Anunoby tag‑teamed 29 apiece, Josh Hart hoovered up every loose board like the world’s strongest Roomba, and Karl‑Anthony Towns played keep‑away on the glass once Porzingis left the game. Down the stretch Brunson hit three straight buckets to tie things, and overtime belonged to the guys in blue and orange. Mikal Bridges put the bow on top, swiping the ball from Jaylen Brown with one second left to seal a 108–105 stunner.

Game 2: Same Movie, Worse Ending

Two nights later, the Celtics came out with the same exact formula — build a big lead early and hope the Knicks wouldn't have the firepower to catch up. And for a while, it looked like it might work this time. Boston had stretched the lead to 73–53 late in the third, the Garden crowd was restless, and the Celtics were flowing.

But then came the freeze. Thibs countered with a switch-heavy lineup that completely stalled Boston’s rhythm. Robinson anchored the paint like a statue with springs, and the Celtics’ offense suddenly looked like it was trying to play in ankle weights. They missed shot after shot — eight full minutes without a single field goal and just one make in their final fifteen attempts. It was a meltdown.

Meanwhile, the Knicks stayed the course. Brunson had been ice cold, 0-for-8 through three quarters, but then flipped the switch in the fourth with 14 points, including a handful of backbreaking jumpers late. Josh Hart, who Boston had been daring to shoot all series, kept cashing in those open looks and finished with 23.

Karl-Anthony Towns did a little bit of everything—21 points and 17 rebounds, working the glass and finding mismatches. And just like in Game 1, Mikal Bridges came up huge in crunch time, forcing a turnover when Boston tried to get up their final show. Knicks 91, Celtics 90. The same stunned silence in Boston, the same scoreboard shocker, and this time, those “Knicks in Four” chants weren’t just jokes — they were starting to feel real.

Coaching Chess: Thibs vs. Mazzulla

Joe Mazzulla likes to say the Celtics’ offense is built on threes, frees, and layups. It’s a slick, modern motto — and to be fair, it worked like a charm all season. But in this series, that system has hit a wall. Tom Thibodeau, who lives and breathes film, showed up with a game plan that clearly anticipated every one of those three options. He’s had his defense switching screens, staying tight on corner shooters, and trusting OG Anunoby to make life miserable for Jayson Tatum in the mid-post.

That adjustment has produced some of the ugliest shot profiles Boston’s seen all year. Tatum and Brown are getting pushed into contested jumpers late in the shot clock. Porzingis, who normally thrives popping into open space after setting a screen, looks like a non-factor. Even when Boston tries to simplify things, New York throws in just enough zone or off-ball switches to throw a wrench into it. It’s rare to see Thibs mix in zone this much — he didn’t do it often in Chicago or Minnesota — but it's working, and it’s messing with the Celtics’ timing just enough to matter.

On the other end, Mazzulla’s plan to sag way off Josh Hart and load up on Brunson made plenty of sense on paper. Hart isn’t exactly known for his outside shooting, and Brunson’s the engine of everything New York does offensively. The Celtics figured they could crowd Brunson, cut off the paint, and force the ball into Hart’s hands. Problem is, Hart made them pay in Game 2. He’s knocking down shots with confidence and is shooting 36% from three in the series. Suddenly that “let him shoot” approach looks a lot more like a liability.

And it doesn’t stop there. Towns has been cooking Boston’s drop coverage in the short roll, finding angles for easy hooks or hitting cutters. Mikal Bridges, who was quiet most of Game 2, found his rhythm late with just enough shake to force Boston into rotation.

Now the Celtics look unsure — second-guessing closeouts they used to fly at with no hesitation. That half-step of doubt is all it takes for a guy like Brunson to snake into a pull-up or for Hart to crash in for a second-chance bucket. The Knicks have made it clear: if you give them an inch, they’ll gladly turn it into three points — or at the very least, another trip to the rim.

How the Knicks Keep Punching Back

1. They Don’t Blink

Thibodeau teams have always been known for toughness — that grind-it-out, defense-first mentality where they just try to outlast you. This Knicks squad has some of that, sure, but there’s a different vibe with this group. It’s not just about surviving anymore — it’s about swinging back, and swinging hard.

Late-game offense used to feel like a slog under Thibs, but now they’ve got Jalen Brunson, the league’s Clutch Player of the Year, who thrives when the pressure cranks up. He’s the guy who wants the ball with 30 seconds left and the season on the line.

Then you’ve got Mikal Bridges, who’s found a second gear as a scorer, and Josh Hart, who plays every fourth quarter like someone told him the rent’s due tomorrow. They aren’t afraid of the moment. That confidence is contagious — down 20, nobody on that bench is freaking out.

2. Depth & Versatility

New York can mix and match lineups like a team that’s been deep in the playoffs for years. When they need to clamp down defensively, they can throw out a unit with Anunoby, Bridges, Hart, and Robinson — four guys who all take pride in guarding their yard and flying around on help. If they need more scoring or floor spacing, they can shift Towns to the five, open the floor up for Brunson, and trust their offense to beat you in different ways.

Boston, on the other hand, doesn’t have that same flexibility right now. With Porzingis limited and their role players struggling, the Celtics’ rotation has gotten shorter, and their options have thinned. They’ve been playing tighter, both literally and emotionally, while the Knicks are rolling out whatever group fits the moment best — and more often than not, it’s working.

3. They Attack Weak Links

The Celtics keep ducking under Hart screens and leaving him all the room in the world to shoot, like they're convinced he’s going to turn into Ben Simmons any second. But Hart’s not hesitating, knocking down shots Boston probably thought he’d pass up. And when he does miss, he’s usually the first one crashing the boards to grab it back.

Same story with Mitchell Robinson. Boston’s been trying to play the percentages by hacking him and daring him to beat them at the line. But when they don’t convert on the other end after doing it, the whole plan backfires. The Knicks just rebound, reset, and keep coming. These so-called weaknesses? They’re turning into weapons because New York doesn’t flinch. They take what you give them — and they make you regret it.

What’s Really Going Wrong in Boston

1. The Three‑Point Addiction

Boston’s game plan has always revolved around letting it fly from deep, and when those shots are falling, it’s beautiful. But in this series, it’s looked more like a bricklaying workshop. Through two games, they’ve chucked up 100 threes and hit just 25 of them.

What’s frustrating is that when the shots don’t fall, the Celtics haven’t adjusted. They rarely go to Tatum in the mid-post, even though he’s got a clear size advantage on most switches. Brown’s been effective when slashing, but too often the possessions die with a deep three early in the clock.

When you’re cold, the natural instinct is to find something easier — Boston just hasn’t done that. And until they do, the Knicks will keep using those misses as fuel.

2. Fourth‑Quarter Freeze‑Ups

During the regular season, the Celtics were one of the best second-half teams in the league, with a +11.0 net rating after halftime. They’d usually wear teams down, get hot from deep, and close things out like seasoned pros. But in this series, it’s been the complete opposite. They've only managed 38 points on 50 fourth-quarter and overtime possessions, which works out to a brutal 0.76 points per trip — a number that looks more like a team tanking in February than a supposed title contender.

They’re not just coming up short — they look completely lost in the final minutes. The offense gets tight, the ball sticks, and nobody seems to want to take the reins. You’d expect a team with this kind of experience to rise in those moments, but instead, Boston keeps tripping over its own feet when the game is on the line.

3. Tatum’s Funk & Porzingis’ Limbo

Tatum shooting 7-for-23 and 5-for-19 while looking unsure of himself in the fourth quarter wasn’t what anyone expected — especially not from a guy who was in MVP conversations for stretches of the season. But he’s looked tight, like he’s forcing the issue instead of letting the game come to him. You can see it in his body language; there’s just no rhythm. When he sees Robinson defending him, he should be drooling at the opportunity for an easy two points, and that just isn't happening.

Porzingis hasn’t helped either. He’s been dealing with an illness that kept him out of the second half of Game 1 and held him to just 14 minutes off the bench in Game 2. He doesn’t look right physically, and without him stretching the floor or providing a scoring release valve, Boston’s offense is feeling way more cramped than usual.

They need him to be the safety net — someone who can punish switches and hit bailout shots. Instead, he’s been mostly a ghost. If these two don’t snap out of it soon, Boston might not get another chance to recover.

Making (Unwanted) History

Boston has now become the first team in modern NBA playoff history to blow back-to-back 20-point leads in consecutive games. That’s not just disappointing; it’s historically awful. During the regular season, they only gave up one 20-point lead all year. Now they’ve done it twice in three nights.

Meanwhile, the Knicks pulled off back-to-back 20-point playoff comebacks, something no team had ever done in the play-by-play era. It’s the kind of stat that usually gets thrown around in March Madness — except this is the NBA, and it's happening in a best-of-seven. The numbers say teams that win the first two games of a series on the road win the series 86% of the time.

What makes all this even more surreal is that both the Celtics and Cavs, the East’s two 60-win squads, are staring at 0–2 holes. That’s never happened since the NBA went to the 16-team playoff format in 1984.

Stats courtesy of NBA.com.