David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
From Jrue Holiday's Milestone to Jayson Tatum's Post-Ups, Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Knicks
After two straight losses, both on the road, the Boston Celtics now have earned three consecutive wins since returning home to TD Garden.
Their latest was a 114-98 battle with the New York Knicks that will have players spending extra time in the cold tub after the physical nature of Monday's matchup.
But a Boston defense that went to a full-court press, a tactic it's mixing in regularly within the course of each game to start the season, helped the hosts dictate the pace in the second half. It also helped wear down Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson.
The combination of their fatigue and the Celtics raising their physicality with guards Derrick White and Jrue Holiday pitching in helped limit New York's second-chance opportunities as the night progressed. The Knicks had eight points on extended possessions in the first quarter but only six the rest of the contest.
Given the importance of that to their offense, it drying up made it difficult to keep up with the hosts, who got a game-high 35 points from Jayson Tatum. The four-time All-Star also paced all participants with seven assists.
Jaylen Brown registered 22 points, dished out six dimes, grabbed five rebounds, and had a steal and a block in a stat-stuffing performance in the win.
And with Kristaps Porzingis chipping in 21, it's the sixth time in Boston's first ten tilts the trio's registered at least 20 points.
Monday night also saw fellow starter Jrue Holiday, who produced 14, reach, then surpass 15,000 career points.
Now for a deep dive into what stood out as the Celtics improved to 5-0 at TD Garden to start the 2023-24 campaign.
1. After Saturday's 117-94 win over the Toronto Raptors, Kristaps Porzingis spoke about the chemistry quickly developing between him and Jaylen Brown, including stating, "I love playing with him."
Monday night against the Knicks, those two quickly went to work in the pick-and-roll, as the latter lofted a lob to the former for an alley-oop.
2. Sam Hauser put together some impressive defensive sequences in the first frame, including when guarding Jalen Brunson. While some of last season's success for him at that end was the product of opponents trying to create highlight-reel baskets against him, he has the strength to hold up at the point of attack and moves his feet well.
The former Virginia Cavalier also drilled a corner three to give the hosts a 25-24 edge entering the second quarter.
3. While the main story surrounding Jrue Holiday is him closing in on 15,000 career points, his hustle outshined that pursuit in the first half, with the two-time All-Star registering a pair of Tommy Points in the opening 24 minutes.
4. While the Celtics trailed 53-52 at halftime, they ended the second period on a 9-2 run that featured Derrick White blocking Brunson, leading to a Jayson Tatum transition flush, and Brown burying a three to beat the buzzer before the break.
The latter had a team-high 14 points at halftime, pairing it with four assists. The other half of Boston's All-NBA wing tandem chipped in 12 points and five dimes, leading all participants in the latter at intermission.
Brunson paced all scorers with 15 points at halftime, while Julius Randle contributed 14 for New York.
5. Throughout the night, Tatum torched the visitors on post-ups, routinely creating the necessary separation before elevating for turnaround fadeaway jumpers, with Josh Hart often having a front-row seat.
The four-time All-Star's post-up game has grown considerably since the start of last season. It was as reliable an offensive weapon as any the Celtics had on Wednesday.
6. With 10.1 seconds left in the third frame, Jrue Holiday gathered the ball above the break and sent a three splashing through the net to give him 15,000 career points.
It's an incredible milestone achievement for an NBA champion whose decorated resume includes three straight Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year awards.
7. Tatum took over the fourth quarter, erupting for 17 points. After feasting on post-ups for much of the evening, he buried 4/5 threes in the last 12 minutes, helping the hosts seal their third-consecutive victory.
8. Up next, the Celtics travel to Philadelphia for a rematch with the 76ers, who handed Boston one of its two losses this season. Wednesday's game will tip off at 7:30 EST.
Further Reading
Jayson Tatum Comments on Sacrificing Scoring Opportunities, Having Highest Plus-Minus Rating in NBA
Kristaps Porzingis Discusses Chemistry with Jaylen Brown: 'I Love Playing with Him'
Joe Mazzulla Shares What's 'Far Exceeded My Expectations' of Kristaps Porzingis
Jaylen Brown on Celtics Learning from Losses and Building Chemistry: 'It's a Learning Curve'
Celtics' Stars Shine, Bench Helps Boost Boston to Win in First In-Season Tournament Tilt
Examining What Went Wrong for Celtics' Offense in Loss vs. Timberwolves
Kristaps Porzingis Gives Glimpse of How He'll Boost Celtics Late-Game Offense
Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present
