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 certainly one of his only 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 Madison Sq. Backyard, a tune that’s develop into more and more acquainted because the Celtics proceed their dominant street season (en path to a league-best 21-6 away report).
It was a win that a number of Celtics, together with Joe Mazzulla, deemed one of the vital full of the yr.
“I feel for the whole 48 minutes, we performed with a stage of connectivity on each ends, and that’s crucial factor,” Mazzulla mentioned, 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 best way that we did, particularly with some guys out tonight,” Tatum mentioned. “The best way we had 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 mentioned. “We’re able to doing actually nice issues — it’s gotta be each evening.
Right here’s what stood out from a convincing win at Madison Sq. Backyard:
Luke Kornet shines as starter rather than Kristaps Porzingis
Kristaps Porzingis wasn’t on the harm report going into Saturday’s primetime matchup, and he appeared prepared for a giant recreation towards the crew that drafted him. Throughout warmups, Porzingis chatted with MSG workers who he knew from his time as a Knick and went by what seemed to be his normal 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 good friend Payton Pritchard ship the information.
“Joe got here in [to the locker room], and Luke wasn’t in right here, so Joe informed me to inform Luke to be able to be within the beginning lineup,” Pritchard recounted after the sport. “However, he did a great 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 simply 9 factors.
“Huge Luke performed his ass off at the moment,” Tatum mentioned, trying 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:
“Huge Luke performed his ass off at the moment. 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 taking pictures (6-8 from three), 4 assists, and 4 rebounds, praised the bench’s means to step up when starters are lacking.
“It’s a next-man mentality,” Pritchard mentioned. “This group may be very deep. We acquired numerous expertise. Persons are prepared for the chance after they got here, I do know I’m. And that carries by everyone, 1 by 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 chance to step up,” Mazzulla mentioned. “That’s the wonderful thing about the locker room — guys are at all times prepared.”
Jayson Tatum places collectively a “particular” efficiency in rout
Tatum completed the evening with 40 factors on 13-26 taking pictures, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Almost half of his scoring output — 19 factors on 6-9 taking pictures — got here within the third quarter, serving to to successfully bury the Knicks.
“That was a particular efficiency,” Mazzulla mentioned.
“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 famous person does, what he did tonight.”
Tatum broke down what drove his sense of urgency from the bounce.
“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 mentioned. “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 record Saturday. He additionally formally has extra wins than any participant since he joined the NBA.
“I feel he’s nonetheless underrated,” Mazzulla mentioned. “Among the finest 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 reduce a 27-point fourth-quarter deficit to simply 7.
The comeback was in the end unsuccessful, because the Mavs’ starters had been capable of dangle on, but it surely 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 circulate, which carried over to Saturday.
“I attempt to benefit from these [opportunities],” Pritchard mentioned. “You already know, you may get caught in a task typically, and you may develop into a little bit bit robotic, and I undoubtedly get caught up in that at occasions. So, I at all times gotta bear in mind to remain aggressive, even when the function doesn’t name for that at occasions.”
Pritchard completed with 21 factors on 9-15 taking pictures on Thursday, and adopted that with 25 factors on 9-13 taking pictures on Saturday.
“It undoubtedly helps create that confidence going into the subsequent recreation and simply carrying that over,” he mentioned. “I do know my crew 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 evening as he continues to work his means again from an ankle harm, Craig was locked into the sport from the sidelines and emphatically celebrating the Celtics’ rising lead all through the evening, seemingly significantly shocked at Tatum’s takeover efficiency.
Earlier Saturday, Craig defined the choice to hitch the Celtics after he was waived by the Bulls final week.
“You at all times wish to play for one thing and compete for one thing,” Craig mentioned. “I’m an excellent competitor — and I wish to play basketball the appropriate means on the highest stage. Simply to get a chance to come back play with these guys was a no brainer.”
Mazzulla mentioned pregame he was assured in Craig’s means to come back in straight away and contribute.
“Performed on numerous good groups, a high-level defender, brings numerous power,” Mazzulla mentioned. “Shot the ball properly during the last three years, so a chunk that we are able to add on each ends of the ground.”
And, whereas integrating midseason acquisitions might 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 mentioned. “However clearly understanding the language and the situational stuff that comes up. However, simply affected person — clearly simply give him an opportunity to study the language, study stuff. However on the identical time, he’s performed for a very long time. So he can match proper in and assist us at any time.”
Everybody loves enjoying in Madison Sq. Backyard
Within the backdrop of the win was the truth that the Celtics, like many NBA groups, love enjoying at Madison Sq. Backyard.
Tatum himself admitted that the presence of celebrities like Denzel Washington made him wish to placed on a present, and Mazzulla mentioned he may really feel it from the sidelines as properly.
“When you get on the market, and you’re feeling the power of the Backyard, and you’re feeling the power of the 2 groups… it was clearly a recreation that the fellows wished,” Mazzulla mentioned.
Pritchard, who’s from Portland, Oregon, mentioned he grew up watching video games at MSG and dreamt of the prospect to someday play there.
“Apart from Boston, it’s in all probability the very best place to play,” Tatum mentioned. “They’ve all of the celebrities, however additionally they have that edge about them. They know basketball.”
