Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) drives toward the basket as New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley (5) defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) (Steven Senne, AP)
BOSTON – The streak is so strong it survived without Jalen Brunson.
Against an Eastern Conference elite and with an injured Brunson in street clothes, Immanuel Quickley took the reins as the Knicks remained the NBA’s hottest team with another thriller, a 131-129 victory in double overtime Sunday night. Quickley was the hero and the Energizer Bunny, scoring a career high 38 points – including seven in the second overtime – while dancing his way through 55 minutes and animated celebrations.
Not the most boisterous of personalities, coach Tom Thibodeau gave a thumbs up to Quickley’s dancing celebrations because the Knicks were winners.
Again.
“Winning is way more fun than fun is fun,” Thibodeau said.
The Knicks (38-27) have won nine in a row, the longest streak in the league. They also won three of their four matchups this season against the Celtics (45-20), sending a message Sunday night on national tv.
“We’re here,” said center Mitchell Robinson, who played 44 minutes with 14 rebounds. “Trying to make something happen.”
Julius Randle added 31 points in the rollercoaster of the game. At different critical points, it was won and lost, then won and lost — until the Knicks won it for good when Al Horford’s potential game-winning 3-pointer clanged off the rim at the final buzzer.
Randle, who pregame talked up his desire to play every game, joked that he’s considering load management after his 50 minutes in Boston.
“F—,” Randle said. “I’m contemplating it now.”
The game was extended because the Knicks absolutely flubbed the end of regulation. They led by 7 with 1:23 remaining but squandered possessions and rebounds. Quentin Grimes even fouled Jaylen Brown on the tying shot with 12.9 seconds remaining. It was an and-1 conversion from Brown that meant the Knicks would go into OT for the second time this season at TD Garden.
But the visitors continued to fight. They continued to make clutch shots and clutch baskets, even without their point guard. Just like in Miami two days prior when Julius Randle hit an off-balance game-winner, they snatched victory from probable defeat.
“It is huge,” Randle said.”I start with myself. Too many turnovers. I got to get better at that. And honestly I didn’t play great. Could’ve rebounded better. I got to start picking up my rebounding and rebound better. But we found a way to come out with two wins on this road trip.”
The first extra period was highlighted by a tying runner in the lane by Quickley with 12.9 seconds left. Tatum, who finished with 40 points, bricked the winner on a contested lay-up at the buzzer. The Celtics shot just 39% on the night.
It appeared the Knicks were unraveling early in the third quarter. Randle was frustrated by a flop from Marcus Smart and shoulder-bumped the referee, drawing his seventh technical of the season. The Knicks trailed by 14 at that point.
But then New York took control with a 30-7 run between the third and fourth quarters, a stretch keyed by Quickley and his dancing moves.
“It gives me life,” Randle said. “It gives me energy.
Brunson was ruled out before the game because of a sore left foot, the point guard’s first absence since December.
According to Thibodeau, Brunson woke up Sunday morning with pain – two days after he logged 35 minutes in a victory over the Heat. The coach claimed he was unaware if Brunson underwent an MRI.
“They’ll reevaluate him (Monday), the medical people,” Thibodeau said.
Brunson had turned his right ankle in Friday night’s game against Miami and received treatment in the locker room. The Knicks, who declined to make Brunson available to the media, claimed the latest injury is unrelated.
It was a strange timeline since Brunson wasn’t listed on Saturday’s injury report.
“They’re looking at it. Hopefully — I don’t think it’s anything serious,” Thibodeau said. “He just woke up with soreness. So we want to make sure he’s good.”
The Knicks started Quickley and gave the backup point guard minutes to Miles McBride, who played just eight minutes.
The Knicks started well enough without Brunson but malfunctioned at the end of the first half, which the Celtics finished on an 11-0 to take a 61-54 lead at the break. The turning point was a questionable foul call on Mitchell Robinson, which sent him to the bench with his third personal.
Thibodeau went small and the Knicks were killed on the glass. They gave up 11 offensive rebounds in the first half with 18 second-chance points for Boston.
The Knicks pounded the Celtics less than a week prior at MSG, where Tatum was frustrated into a fourth-quarter ejection after scoring just 14 points.
Josh Hart, who was a main defender on Tatum in both matchups, knew the MVP candidate would return motivated.
“Got to know there’s games where you play well defensively and guys make shots. And then there are times when he misses shots,” Hart said. “I think what we did possibly frustrated him but he’s a good player and felt like he missed some shots he should’ve made and that’s the difference between scoring 30 and 13. He’s going to be aggressive tonight as we know. And we got to make sure we contain it.”
Tatum was aggressive but inefficient Sunday while missing 11 of his 17 3-pointers. The Knicks, as they have throughout their winning streak, took advantage.
“I think that’s kind of who we are, just that spirit, that fighting spirit,” said RJ Barrett, who added 29 points in 50 minutes. “That’s what we preach. Everybody that comes into the game has that. There were plenty of ups and downs but we were able to close it out in the end.”
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Originally published at Tribune News Service