NEW YORK CITY — No Kristaps Porzingis, no Jrue Vacation, no downside for the Celtics, who acquired again within the win column with a 131-104 decimation of the Knicks. The victory was led by Jayson Tatum, who exploded for 40 factors on 7 threes, Luke Kornet, who had considered one of his handiest video games as a Celtic, and Payton Pritchard, who posted back-to-back 20+ level video games for the primary time since December.
Oh, and there was Derrick White, who tallied 14 factors in an enormous third-quarter run that resoundingly put the sport out of attain.
By the waning minutes of the ball recreation, “Let’s Go Celtics” chants reverberated by way of Madison Sq. Backyard, a tune that’s turn into more and more acquainted because the Celtics proceed their dominant highway season (en path to a league-best 21-6 away document).
It was a win that a number of Celtics, together with Joe Mazzulla, deemed one of the vital full of the yr.
“I believe for all the 48 minutes, we performed with a degree of connectivity on each ends, and that’s a very powerful factor,” Mazzulla stated, who was as animated as he’s been all yr because the Celtics’ accomplished a number of second-half runs.
“It was nice for us to reply the way in which that we did, particularly with some guys out tonight,” Tatum stated. “The best way we have been linked on each ends of the ground — our toughness confirmed tonight.”
Payton Pritchard agreed.
“The depth, being locked in, it was undoubtedly there tonight,” Pritchard stated. “We’re able to doing actually nice issues — it’s gotta be each night time.
Right here’s what stood out from a powerful win at Madison Sq. Backyard:
Luke Kornet shines as starter rather than Kristaps Porzingis
Kristaps Porzingis wasn’t on the damage report going into Saturday’s primetime matchup, and he appeared prepared for a giant recreation towards the workforce that drafted him. Throughout warmups, Porzingis chatted with MSG workers who he knew from his time as a Knick and went by way of what seemed to be his traditional routine.
However, simply minutes earlier than tip-off, Porzingis was a late scratch with an sickness. So, Mazzulla turned to Luke Kornet for the last-minute begin and had his good buddy Payton Pritchard ship the information.
“Joe got here in [to the locker room], and Luke wasn’t in right here, so Joe instructed me to inform Luke to be able to be within the beginning lineup,” Pritchard recounted after the sport. “However, he did a superb job. Thrown in straight away, he did his job tonight.”
It was greater than good for Kornet, who tallied 14 factors on an ideal 7-7 from the sphere, 12 rebounds (5 offensive), and three blocks. The Celtics outscored the Knicks by 21 factors throughout Kornet’s 28 minutes. And, with the Celtics’ starting the sport with a double-big lineup of Al Horford and Kornet, Knicks’ All-Star heart Karl Anthony-Cities was restricted to only 9 factors.
“Large Luke performed his ass off at this time,” Tatum stated, wanting over to a close-by Kornet with a proud smile. “He actually set the tone to start out — contesting, blocking photographs.”
Jayson Tatum credited all of the bigs for his or her efficiency tonight:
“Large Luke performed his ass off at this time. He actually set the tone to start out — he’s contesting, blocking photographs.”
(Q: @tvabby) pic.twitter.com/aQazmx0LCT
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) February 9, 2025
Pritchard, who recorded 25 factors on 9-13 capturing (6-8 from three), 4 assists, and 4 rebounds, praised the bench’s capacity to step up when starters are lacking.
“It’s a next-man mentality,” Pritchard stated. “This group may be very deep. We acquired a number of expertise. Individuals are prepared for the chance after they got here, I do know I’m. And that carries by way of everyone, 1 by way of 15.”
Mazzulla echoed that sentiment, additionally praising Neemias Queta, who had 11 factors, 8 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 steal in 26 minutes.
“It simply offers guys a possibility to step up,” Mazzulla stated. “That’s the beauty of the locker room — guys are all the time prepared.”
Jayson Tatum places collectively a “particular” efficiency in rout
Tatum completed the night time with 40 factors on 13-26 capturing, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Almost half of his scoring output — 19 factors on 6-9 capturing — got here within the third quarter, serving to to successfully bury the Knicks.
“That was a particular efficiency,” Mazzulla stated.
“He was particular from the primary play on,” White echoed.
Pritchard praised Tatum for what he described as an “unbelievable” efficiency: “He didn’t rush his photographs, he acquired to his spots, and he was cash. He broke the lead open for us, and that’s what a celebrity does, what he did tonight.”
Tatum broke down what drove his sense of urgency from the leap.
“We misplaced final recreation, after which discovering out that KP was out proper earlier than the sport, we knew it was going to be a problem,” he stated. “And, I noticed Denzel Washington sitting courtside, so I used to be enthusiastic about that.”
Tatum moved into ninth on the Celtics’ all-time scoring checklist Saturday. He additionally formally has extra wins than any participant since he joined the NBA.
“I believe he’s nonetheless underrated,” Mazzulla stated. “Probably the greatest gamers on the market.”
Payton Pritchard explodes for 25 factors off the bench
With Kristaps Porzingis again within the lineup, Pritchard’s shot makes an attempt and scoring have taken a success in latest weeks, regardless of his effectivity remaining elite.
However, on Thursday, within the Celtics’ letdown loss to the Mavericks, the 27-year-old guard led a spirited comeback that noticed a lineup of himself, Jordan Walsh, Drew Peterson, Neemias Queta, and Sam Hauser minimize a 27-point fourth-quarter deficit to only 7.
The comeback was in the end unsuccessful, because the Mavs’ starters have been in a position to grasp on, however it nonetheless infused life right into a TD Backyard crowd that desperately yearned for one thing to cheer for. And, it immensely helped Pritchard — who scored 17 factors in that fourth-quarter rally — regain some offensive movement, which carried over to Saturday.
“I attempt to benefit from these [opportunities],” Pritchard stated. “You understand, you will get caught in a task generally, and you’ll turn into a little bit bit robotic, and I undoubtedly get caught up in that at instances. So, I all the time gotta bear in mind to remain aggressive, even when the position doesn’t name for that at instances.”
Pritchard completed with 21 factors on 9-15 capturing on Thursday, and adopted that with 25 factors on 9-13 capturing on Saturday.
“It undoubtedly helps create that confidence going into the following recreation and simply carrying that over,” he stated. “I do know my workforce wants me to be aggressive.”
Torrey Craig on the sidelines for the primary time as a Celtic
Torrey Craig, the Celtics’ latest signee, addressed reporters Saturday morning at Celtics’ shootaround and expressed his pleasure at becoming a member of a championship contender.
Whereas he wasn’t energetic on Saturday night time as he continues to work his approach again from an ankle damage, Craig was locked into the sport from the sidelines and emphatically celebrating the Celtics’ rising lead all through the night time, seemingly significantly shocked at Tatum’s takeover efficiency.
Earlier Saturday, Craig defined the choice to affix the Celtics after he was waived by the Bulls final week.
“You all the time need to play for one thing and compete for one thing,” Craig stated. “I’m a brilliant competitor — and I need to play basketball the proper approach on the highest degree. Simply to get a possibility to return play with these guys was a no brainer.”
Mazzulla stated pregame he was assured in Craig’s capacity to return in straight away and contribute.
“Performed on a number of good groups, a high-level defender, brings a number of power,” Mazzulla stated. “Shot the ball properly during the last three years, so a chunk that we will add on each ends of the ground.”
And, whereas integrating midseason acquisitions will be tough, Mazzulla believed the 34-year-old’s acclimation wouldn’t be too tough.
“He’s versatile sufficient so the place it might be seamless, from a tactical standpoint,” he stated. “However clearly understanding the language and the situational stuff that comes up. However, simply affected person — clearly simply give him an opportunity to be taught the language, be taught stuff. However on the similar time, he’s performed for a very long time. So he can match proper in and assist us at any time.”
Everybody loves taking part in in Madison Sq. Backyard
Within the backdrop of the win was the truth that the Celtics, like many NBA groups, love taking part in at Madison Sq. Backyard.
Tatum himself admitted that the presence of celebrities like Denzel Washington made him need to placed on a present, and Mazzulla stated he may really feel it from the sidelines as properly.
“When you get on the market, and you are feeling the power of the Backyard, and you are feeling the power of the 2 groups… it was clearly a recreation that the fellows wished,” Mazzulla stated.
Pritchard, who’s from Portland, Oregon, stated he grew up watching video games at MSG and dreamt of the possibility to sooner or later play there.
“Moreover Boston, it’s most likely the perfect place to play,” Tatum stated. “They’ve all of the celebrities, however in addition they have that edge about them. They know basketball.”
