The Boston Celtics will go for a regular-season sweep of the Knicks when they travel to New York on Tuesday night.
The Celtics (58-20) have a top-two seed in the Eastern Conference locked up, while the Knicks (50-28) need just one more win to sew up the No. 3 seed. Though there are no playoff implications Tuesday, both teams are looking for a statement victory heading toward the postseason.
Lately it’s been all Celtics in this long-standing rivalry. Boston beat the Knicks on opening night by 23 points, followed by wins by 27 and 13 points in February. Boston has won seven of the last eight meetings, but hasn’t swept the Knicks in the regular season since 2019-20.
“There are so many different ways for us to attack teams and we’re just trying to create an advantage and keep that advantage,” Celtics guard Derrick White said on Sunday after a 124-90 win over the visiting Washington Wizards.
Boston destroyed the hapless Wizards without starters Jayson Tatum (knee) or Kristaps Porzingis (illness), who sat out with non-serious ailments. The Celtics had 25 offensive rebounds, their most in a game since 2000.
“For the most part, rebounds are a testament to the effort level and attention to detail and things we have to get better at,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “The guys really locked in on that and it was good for us.”
Boston has won 11 of its last 12 games and 16 of 18, rounding into form as the playoffs loom.
New York welcomed back star guard Jalen Brunson from an injury in Sunday’s 112-98 win over the visiting Phoenix Suns. Brunson played 34 minutes and scored 15 points.
While Brunson was out, OG Anunoby emerged as a consistent offensive threat to join Karl-Anthony Towns. Anunoby has scored 20 points or more in each of the last 10 games, the longest such streak of his career.
“He’s been playing unbelievable these past couple of weeks,” Brunson said of Anunoby to the New York Post. “All season, but he really stepped up recently and he’s just doing what he does. That’s what we expect of him. Everyone knew what he could do defensively. Offensively, I think he’s taken a step forward just the way he’s been playing. He’s always had that and I think he’s been showcasing it.”
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau praised Anunoby’s contributions on both ends of the floor.
“He showed a lot of mental toughness,” Thibodeau said. “Even if you score on him, he’s going to come back the next time down and (defend you) hard and that’s what you love about him, his staying power. We need him at his best.”
Towns has averaged 24.7 points over his last three games for a Knicks team that ranks ninth in scoring and ninth in points allowed in the NBA.
Boston leads the NBA in 3-point attempts (48.3) and 3-pointers made (17.9) per game. Tatum and White each average 3.5 made 3-pointers per game, and reserve Payton Pritchard has given the Celtics another long-range ace. Pritchard is 8-for-20 (40 percent) from 3-point land in his last three outings.
–Field Level Media
