October 23, 2026 | EST NBA Recap
Jayson Tatum wasn’t about to let the Boston Celtics start their season 0–2.
Boston defeated the New York Knicks 107–103 on Friday night, with Tatum delivering one clutch basket after another in the closing minutes.
He finished with 36 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals, shooting 14-of-26 from the field.
New York had opportunities to steal this game, but Tatum simply refused to let it happen.
First Quarter: A Tight Start
Both teams entered looking to bounce back from season-opening losses.
Tatum opened the scoring with a turnaround jumper, while Paul George added a layup and Karl-Anthony Towns answered with a three-pointer.
Neither team was particularly impressive from beyond the arc, with both starting 3-of-11 from three.
New York held a narrow 27–26 lead after the first quarter.
Second Quarter: Celtics Start Strong, Knicks Fight Back
Boston opened the quarter with consecutive three-pointers, taking a 34–29 lead.
Neemias Queta provided valuable scoring inside, but New York responded.
Towns scored on a putback, Landry Shamet knocked down a three, and Josh Hart tied the game at 41 with a pull-up jumper.
Tatum then sparked a Boston run, scoring twice and assisting Queta on a cutting dunk to help build a 47–41 advantage.
The Knicks answered again.
Jalen Brunson found Hart for a three-pointer to tie the game at 47 before Hart’s driving hook shot put New York ahead 49–47.
But Paul George drilled a buzzer-beating three-pointer, giving Boston a 50–49 halftime lead.
Third Quarter: Boston Builds Its Advantage
The Celtics came out of halftime with more energy.
Jordan Walsh scored inside, Derrick White connected from deep, and Tatum attacked New York’s defense with several impressive finishes.
George also made an impact, stealing a pass from Towns before scoring and later throwing down a cutting dunk to give Boston a 68–60 lead.
However, the Knicks weren’t finished.
Brunson knocked down a three-pointer, and Miles McBride followed with consecutive triples to cut Boston’s lead to 70–69.
Tatum immediately answered with a three of his own.
Queta then blocked Hart at the rim before knocking down a three-pointer to extend Boston’s advantage.
Tatum capped off the quarter with a dunk, giving the Celtics an 83–73 lead heading into the fourth.
Boston outscored New York 33–24 in the period.
Fourth Quarter: Tatum Refuses to Lose
New York fought back, erasing Boston’s comfortable advantage and setting up a dramatic finish.
With approximately one minute remaining, Tatum drilled a turnaround jumper to give Boston a 101–99 lead.
On the following possession, Towns was called for an offensive foul. It was a questionable decision, and one I didn’t agree with.
Tatum made New York pay.
He knocked down another difficult jumper with Josh Hart defending him tightly, pushing his total to 33 points.
Then came the dagger.
Tatum drilled a three-pointer to give Boston a 106–100 advantage.
The Knicks managed to cut the deficit again, but Boston held on for a 107–103 victory.
Tatum finished with 36 points, delivering when his team needed him most.
EST Takeaways
1. Jayson Tatum Was Absolutely Clutch
Tatum’s 36 points, nine rebounds and eight assists tell only part of the story.
When New York started making its comeback, he repeatedly delivered difficult baskets.
His turnaround jumper, contested shot over Hart and late three-pointer were all massive plays.
Boston needed its superstar to close the game, and Tatum answered.
2. Mikal Bridges Had a Nightmare Performance
Bridges finished with zero points on 0-of-8 shooting, including 0-of-5 from three.
That’s unacceptable in a game decided by four points.
Towns scored 22, OG Anunoby added 20, and McBride contributed another 20 off the bench.
Bridges didn’t need a huge night, but even a couple of baskets could have changed the outcome.
3. Boston’s Bench Stepped Up
Queta delivered 18 points and six rebounds, while Luka Garza added eight points without missing a shot.
Sam Hauser also contributed six points.
With Payton Pritchard scoring just four, Boston needed those contributions.
Tatum was the star, but the supporting cast helped put him in position to win.
4. Turnovers Hurt New York
The Knicks dominated the glass, outrebounding Boston 58–44.
However, they committed 18 turnovers compared with Boston’s 11.
That seven-turnover difference was costly in such a close game.
New York also lost the battle in the paint, 38–30, despite its rebounding advantage.
5. New York Needs More From Its Backcourt
Brunson finished with 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting, while Bridges went scoreless.
Meanwhile, Towns scored an efficient 22 points, and Anunoby nearly recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
The Knicks’ frontcourt delivered, but their starting guards need to be better in these close games.
Final Thoughts
New York deserves credit for fighting back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit, but Boston had the best player on the floor when it mattered most.
Tatum’s 36-point performance was impressive. His shot-making in the closing minutes made it special.
For the Knicks, losing by four despite winning the rebounding battle by 14 will be frustrating, especially with Bridges failing to score.
Boston improves to 1–1, while New York falls to 0–2.
Final Score: Boston Celtics 107, New York Knicks 103.
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