Celtics Deliver Commanding Game 3 Victory Over Knicks at Madison Square Garden

Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard electrified Madison Square Garden, propelling the Boston Celtics to a decisive 115-93 win over the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

With 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, Tatum stepped up significantly from his struggles in Boston, where he shot a disappointing 12-for-42. Pritchard, embodying the firepower of the NBA Sixth Man of the Year, contributed 23 points, including five three-pointers, as the Celtics finally found their shooting groove.

After a dismal start to the series, missing a playoff-record 45 attempts from beyond the arc in Game 1, Boston found its stroke on Saturday night. They drained 20-of-40 three-point shots, a stark turnaround from their earlier performances and just what they needed to claim their first win of the series in convincing fashion.

Jaylen Brown and Derrick White also aided the Celtics' offensive explosion, scoring 19 and 17 points respectively, helping their team construct an insurmountable lead. Boston surged ahead, reaching a peak lead of 31 points, as the Knicks were left reeling.

For New York, Jalen Brunson's 27-point effort, complemented by Karl-Anthony Towns' 21 points and 15 rebounds, proved insufficient. The Garden, filled with high-paying fans eager for a Knicks triumph, watched as the Celtics quickly deflated the atmosphere with a hot start, including a 36-20 first-quarter blitz.

The task ahead of the Knicks is daunting, as they aim for their first conference finals appearance since 2000, having squandered a 2-0 lead in last year's playoffs. Meanwhile, Boston hopes to carry this momentum into Game 4, eyeing a series-leveling win before returning home.

Grim shooting from downtown, 5-for-25, and wayward free throw shooting hampered the Knicks' comeback attempts, particularly evident when Mitchell Robinson struggled at the line. As the Celtics intentionally fouled him, his 4-for-12 performance from the stripe symbolized New York's broader frustrations on the court.