A clash between two teams with identical 25-26 records didn’t exactly sound compelling, but the Celtics-Knicks game turned out to be hard-fought and entertaining, especially as it ended with a Boston win.
Crunch-time execution
The NBA defines “clutch games” as those with a margin of 5 points or less in the final 5 minutes. Last season, the Celtics were 23-19 in those situations, 12th in the league. This season, they are 27th at 12-21. It’s been one of the most frustrating aspects about this current squad.
Last night was different. New York led, 80-73, with 8:20 to play, but the Celtics responded with a 16-5 outburst to take an 89-85 lead.