NEW YORK CITY — No Kristaps Porzingis, no Jrue Vacation, no downside for the Celtics, who obtained 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 one in all 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 sport, “Let’s Go Celtics” chants reverberated by way of Madison Sq. Backyard, a tune that’s develop 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 crucial full of the 12 months.
“I believe for the complete 48 minutes, we performed with a stage of connectivity on each ends, and that’s an important factor,” Mazzulla mentioned, who was as animated as he’s been all 12 months 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 have been linked on each ends of the ground — our toughness confirmed tonight.”
Payton Pritchard agreed.
“The depth, being locked in, it was positively 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 powerful 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 an enormous sport 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 gave the impression to be his standard 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 pal 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 instantly, 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 middle Karl Anthony-Cities was restricted to only 9 factors.
“Huge Luke performed his ass off immediately,” Tatum mentioned, wanting over to a close-by Kornet with a proud smile. “He actually set the tone to begin — contesting, blocking pictures.”
Jayson Tatum credited all of the bigs for his or her efficiency tonight:
“Huge Luke performed his ass off immediately. He actually set the tone to begin — he’s contesting, blocking pictures.”
(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 could be very deep. We obtained plenty of expertise. Individuals are prepared for the chance once 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 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 pictures, he obtained 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 bounce.
“We misplaced final sport, 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 listing Saturday. He additionally formally has extra wins than any participant since he joined the NBA.
“I believe he’s nonetheless underrated,” Mazzulla mentioned. “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 successful in current 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 lower a 27-point fourth-quarter deficit to only 7.
The comeback was finally unsuccessful, because the Mavs’ starters have been capable of cling 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 stream, which carried over to Saturday.
“I attempt to reap the benefits of these [opportunities],” Pritchard mentioned. “You recognize, you will get caught in a job generally, and you’ll develop into just a little bit robotic, and I positively get caught up in that at instances. So, I at all times gotta keep in mind to remain aggressive, even when the function doesn’t name for that at instances.”
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 positively helps create that confidence going into the following sport and simply carrying that over,” he mentioned. “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 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 surprised 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 at all times need to play for one thing and compete for one thing,” Craig mentioned. “I’m an excellent competitor — and I need to play basketball the best means on the highest stage. Simply to get a chance to return play with these guys was a no brainer.”
Mazzulla mentioned pregame he was assured in Craig’s means to return in instantly and contribute.
“Performed on plenty of good groups, a high-level defender, brings plenty of vitality,” Mazzulla mentioned. “Shot the ball properly over the past three years, so a chunk that we are able to add on each ends of the ground.”
And, whereas integrating midseason acquisitions could be troublesome, Mazzulla believed the 34-year-old’s acclimation wouldn’t be too troublesome.
“He’s versatile sufficient so the place it could possibly 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 be taught the language, be taught 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 fact 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 need to placed on a present, and Mazzulla mentioned he might really feel it from the sidelines as properly.
“When you get on the market, and you are feeling the vitality of the Backyard, and you are feeling the vitality of the 2 groups… it was clearly a sport 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 sooner or later play there.
“Moreover Boston, it’s in all probability the very best place to play,” Tatum mentioned. “They’ve all of the celebrities, however in addition they have that edge about them. They know basketball.”
