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NBA Fans Loved Why Charles Barkley and Shaq Think Game 3 Is a Must-Win for Knicks

Andy Nesbitt

Charles Barkley has been in this situation before.
Charles Barkley has been in this situation before. / @TNT

The New York Knicks rallied back once again to stun the Boston Celtics, 91-90, in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Wednesday night. They now have a 2-0 lead in the series as it shifts to Madison Square Garden and while they are shockingly in control of the defending champs, Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley think the next game is a must-win for Tom Thibodeau's team.

And lots of fans agreed with them.

After winning the first two games in Boston, the Knicks can put the Celtics in an even bigger hole with a win on Saturday.

"Now for the Knicks, don't get comfortable," Shaq said on Inside the NBA. "It's a must-win for Boston but it's also a must-win for the Knicks. If you want to put serious pressure on the champs, Game 3 is a must for the Knicks."

Barkley agreed with Shaq because he was in that situation twice in his playing career and he knows how different a 3-0 hole can feel than a 2-1 hole.

"This gonna sound stupid," Barkley said. "Game 3 is a must-win for the Knicks because Boston has a better team but being in that situation twice, you've gotta win that third game."

Here's that discussion.

Lots of fans agreed with them:

Here's one certainty going forward: Game 3 (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET) at MSG is going to be electric.

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Andy Nesbitt
ANDY NESBITT

Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.

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