second surprise at the beginning of the semifinals of the Eastern Conference of the NBA. If on Sunday it was the Indiana Pacers who imposed at home to the Cleveland Cavaliers, on Monday the New York Knicks assaulted the Boston TD Garden led by a great Jalen Brunson. The Celtics was missing the advantage of 20 points they had in the middle of the third quarter and fell defeated in the extension against the New York team, which had more success in the triples.
The coach of the Celtics, Joe Mazzulla, insists a lot on three -point throws as an offensive weapon. On a total of 97 field releases, 60 were triple. A team had never released so much from afar in the history of the playoffs of the NBA. However, the percentage of success was only 25%, with 15 baskets from outside the arch.
The Knicks, who launched at a distance 37 times, managed to turn up 17 triples, with a aim of 45.9%. That allowed visitors to wipe the advantage of the Celtics in rebounds and possessions. The defensive intensity, which also show the 10 stolen balls, partly explains the low success of the current NBA champions in their releases.
After a very matched first quarter (26-25), the Celtics escaped in the second and reached the break with an advantage that allowed us to think of a relatively comfortable game (61-45), even more so when in the middle of the third quarter the advantage was extended to 20 points (72-52). At that time, visitors started a comeback that led them first to match the game to 86 and then collect a six -point advantage in the absence of less than three and a half minutes.
The Celtics reacted and the game was again in a fist. With a 1003 -second draw, the two teams was missing their latest opportunities to turn on the regulation time, including a short distance shot from Brunson in the absence of two seconds that practically left the hoop.
In the extension, the score took more than minute and a half to move, with the two teams concentrated in defense and nervous in attack. An OG Anunoby mate for the Knicks, with additional free kick, allowed New York to hit first. Then Mikal Bridges put a six -point distance with a triple. The Celtics row from behind, but were unable to match. The game ended 105-108 after missing the Celtics their attempt to force a second extension in the last play. Bridges stole the ball from the hands to Jaylen Brown before he could even try a last triple.
Brunson added 29 points, five assists and four rebounds, while Anunoby also made 29 points, with three assists and two rebounds. On the part of the Celtics, their two stars, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, stayed at 23 points each, Tatum also achieved 16 rebounds and six assists in a match in which the headline of Boston, Kristaps Porziņģis, had to retire due to injury after playing only 13 minutes.
The Celtics had won the Knicks the four games between the two of the regular season, but fell into the first of their tie. The second game of the series, which is played by the best of seven games, will be played on Wednesday again in Boston. The Knicks, which last year fell to the Pacers in the semifinals of the East, have been since 2000 without playing a conference final, but begin to dream.
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