Derrick White scored a game-high 34 points and the Boston Celtics extended their season by beating the visiting New York Knicks 127-102 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday, May 14 (Thursday, May 15, Manila time).
The Knicks lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, and Game 6 will be played Friday in New York.
White shot 7-for-13 from three-point territory and made 9 of his 11 free throw attempts. Boston sank 22 of its 49 shots from behind the three-point arc (44.9%) and outscored New York 68-43 in the second half.
The Celtics received 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists from Jaylen Brown. Luke Kornet added 10 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 blocked shots, and Payton Pritchard came off the bench to make 5 three-pointers and score 17 points.
It was Boston’s second playoff game without Jayson Tatum, who had surgery Tuesday to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon. Tatum didn’t play in Game 2 of Boston’s first-round series against Orlando, and the Celtics won that game, 109-100.
Josh Hart scored a team-high 24 points for New York, which shot 29-of-81 from the field (35.8%). Jalen Brunson collected 22 points and 6 assists, but he fouled out with 7:19 to play. Brunson was called for his fifth foul with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter.
The Knicks received 19 points and 8 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns.
Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis was limited to 1 point in 12 minutes and didn’t play in the second half.
New York led 32-30 after one quarter and the game was tied 59-59 at halftime. An 11-0 run capped by a Pritchard three-pointer put the Celtics up 81-68 with 7:10 left in the third, and Boston had a 91-76 advantage entering the fourth.
The Celtics led by as many as 28 in the final 12 minutes.
It was Boston’s first victory at home in the series. – Rappler.com