The Boston Celtics put up a fight to keep things alive against the New York Knicks, but there was no more fight left in them on Friday night’s Game 6 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Just two days after they extended the series in the first game without Jayson Tatum, the Celtics looked as if they would come out and make it a series once again, but New York never gave them a chance in the elimination game.
Awful shooting by the Celtics, combined with little to no energy from the team across the board, up against a ramped up Knicks squad at Madison Square Garden, and New York put them in a stranglehold. Boston shot 36% from the field and 29% from 3-point range, putting a nail in their own coffin as the Knicks advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Here’s a quick recap of the Celtics embarrassing 119-81 loss to the Knicks, ending their season in a very disappointing way in which Jaylen Brown fouled out in the third quarter.
Keys to the game:
Poor shooting: As was the case for the entire series, the Boston Celtics had a poor night shooting and it cost them the entire series. As noted, shooting 36% from the field and just 29% from 3-point range, the Celtics did themselves in as the Knicks took advantage of every possible mistake that Boston made.
No energy: It was apparent very early in the second quarter that the Celtics were flat and felt like a team that had gave it their all in Game 5, with nothing left to give in Game 6 on Friday night. Outscored 38-17 in the second quarter, it was the beginning of the end for the Celtics who came out in the second half and look disinterested, defeated, and no care in the world.
Highlight of the game: Knicks advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for first time since 2000
What’s next: A long and important offseason for the Celtics front office
With Jayson Tatum being out for a lengthy period of time, the Celtics will have to configure their roster for next season with the fact that he may not play at all next year. He was clearly and sorely missed in Game 6 as Boston looked lifeless, and now there are questions about a few veterans on the roster including Al Horford, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis. The big question for Boston will be the health of Porzingis and if the team wants to commit to him in the final year of his deal or potentially move on from him and add more piece to help bolster the roster in the absence of Tatum.
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