Boston Blocks Knicks' Advancement in Game 5

The New York Knicks have waited a quarter-century to return to the Eastern Conference Finals. Now, they'll have to wait at least two more days.

New York came up short in the first of three chances at advancement from the conference semifinals on Wednesday night, dropping a 127-102 decision to the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of their best-of-seven set. The Knicks still lead the series by a 3-2 tally as the Indiana Pacers await in the national semifinal.

Derrick White broke loose for 34 points as the Celtics extended their season despite missing Jayson Tatum after his devastating Achilles injury at the end of Game 4 on Monday. Jaylen Brown had 26 on a sterling night from deep.

May 14, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) passes the ball past Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) in the second half during game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

A pair of depth stars also stole the show from the Boston bench: Payton Pritchard had 17 points and five rebounds while posting a plus-24 on the scoreboard. Former Knick Luke Kornet rose up in place of an ailing Kristaps Porzingis, putting up 10 points, nine rebounds, and rejecting seven Knick shots.

Josh Hart overcame an early, bloody episode to lead the Knicks with 24 points while Jalen Brunson had 22 before fouling out before the midway mark of the third quarter. The loss ended the Knicks' five-game winning streak in postseason road games, the longest such tally in franchise history.

The Celtics' historic three-point shooting rose to the occasion while facing elimination, as they sank 22 from deep to force a sixth game. It's the third-highest tally in NBA single-game playoff history (as well as Boston's highest in a postseason game) and the most the Knicks have ever let up in a single playoff showing, breaking the record Boston set four days prior in its other win in this series.

Following a first half that saw the two teams swap the lead 10 times, the Celtics took the lead for good on Kornet's tip-in before the first minute of the second half let out. A sloppy third period, one that saw Brunson charged with five fouls alone, spelled the Knicks' doom as Boston burst ahead with a 32-17 advantage while holding visiting New York to only four shots from the field on 20 tries.

The foul issue was not limited to Brunson: the Celtics spent over nine minutes of the third quarter in the bonus and took advantage with 18 tries from the foul line, as Brown and White united to sink a dozen. That built the foundation to ensure that a flurry of threes at the top of the fourth served as the Boston daggers, leading to both sides emptying their benches for the final stanzas.

May 14, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots the ball over New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) in the first half during game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Wednesday wasn't a total loss for the Knicks, who perhaps earned the last laugh in the ongoing Mitchell Robinson saga: Boston attempted to enact the infamous "Bewitch-A-Mitch" gambit at several points of Game 5 but the plan backfired to the tune of Robinson going a perfect 6-of-6 from the line. Robinson helped the Knicks keep pace in the first half amidst early foul trouble for Karl-Anthony Towns, grabbing six offensive boards that helped New York tally 10 second-chance points (the Knicks had only four in the second half).

The Knicks' next chance to move on lands on Friday when they'll have a chance to punch their conference finals ticket in front of a friendly, if not raucous, Madison Square Garden crowd (TBD, ESPN). New York has not secured an advancement win at home since its last run to the NBA Finals in 1999.

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