The Knicks have struggled throughout their history to find consistent playoff success. When they last faced off against the Celtics in 1968 for a division final series match-up, Boston came out victorious.
Boston quickly proved their superiority against New York by scoring freely and making 29 three-pointers on opening night – an emphatic statement win from the reigning champs.
In this article, we will discuss the main points or top players of Boston Celtics vs Knicks Match Player Stats.
As of February 15, 2025, the most recent game between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks occurred on February 8, 2025. Below are the starting lineups for both teams from that matchup:
Boston Celtics Starting Lineup:
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Point Guard | Derrick White |
| Shooting Guard | Jaylen Brown |
| Small Forward | Jayson Tatum |
| Power Forward | Al Horford |
| Center | Luke Kornet |
New York Knicks Starting Lineup:
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Point Guard | Jalen Brunson |
| Shooting Guard | Mikal Bridges |
| Small Forward | Josh Hart |
| Power Forward | Precious Achiuwa |
| Center | Karl-Anthony Towns |
In this game, the Celtics defeated the Knicks 131-104, with Jayson Tatum leading all scorers with 40 points
Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Drafted by them in the first round of 2017 NBA Draft, Tatum has gone on to earn five All-Star selections and four All-NBA awards; winning 2024’s All-Star Game MVP award and being two-time Olympian (winning gold medals with both 2020 and 2024 US men’s national basketball teams).
Tatum led the Boston Celtics to victory against both Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors during their series against them during the 2020 playoffs, but ultimately fell victim to Miami Heat’s dominating six game Eastern Conference Finals victory. Even so, Tatum managed to increase both his points scored and rebound totals over his regular season efforts.
Tatum had an outstanding first quarter for Boston, scoring 15 points on 5 of 7 shooting to help establish an early 31-21 lead for them. Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride attempted to keep New York close but Tatum scored 23 points to give his side a commanding lead at halftime of 61-48.
After halftime, the Celtics continued their dominance of the Knicks. Tatum led his team with 20 points in the third quarter alone and even made an exciting buzzer-beating three-pointer to push their lead out to 77-67. Although the Knicks did manage a 14-1 run late in the period, but ultimately fell victim to their opponents.
On November 16th 2024, Tatum set career highs with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists – as well as making the game-winning three-point shot against Toronto Raptors in overtime 126-123 win – becoming youngest Celtic ever to record triple-double at age 23.
Tatum led the Celtics into a rematch of last season’s Finals against the Golden State Warriors during 2023 playoffs, scoring 51 points on 16-of-23 shooting and 5-of-12 threes – earning him an Eastern Conference All-Star nod as well as winning Skills Challenge at All-Star Weekend.
Derrick White
The Boston Celtics cruised past the New York Knicks 132-109 at TD Garden for their season opener, sailing to an easy victory. Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 37 points and six threes made. While first half scoring was close, Boston pulled ahead quickly in second quarter shooting barrages that resulted in their dominating win.
Early on, Boston’s offense was efficient with four starters scoring double figures by the end of the first quarter. Derrick White led them with 17 points; Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday each added 12, giving Boston four scoring starters total. New York only managed 15 from Jalen Brunson during this opening period.
Boston’s bench played an instrumental role in their win, as they kept pace with New York throughout. Boston’s second unit converted 16 of 20 field goals with an ideal shooting percentage of 100 percent; additionally they hit 26 of 28 3-point attempts successfully.
Boston continued their strong play, leading 113-87 heading into the fourth frame. Boston’s defense proved especially effective in holding New York to just one basket during the initial seven minutes of the third quarter.
Derrick White continued his strong play for the Celtics, scoring 23 points in this game. White has been an invaluable contributor this season, averaging 13.8 points per game and 4.7 rebounds on an average basis; however, he has struggled to find his groove and needs to work on improving his shooting numbers.
The Celtics’ offensive rating has significantly declined from last season, yet they still top both total points and scoring margin. Their defensive rating also ranks highly; only Thunder and Grizzlies can match them – though some defensive issues still persist on the interior of their team’s defense.
Jalen Brunson
At Madison Square Garden, the Boston Celtics made their presence felt, defeating the New York Knicks to claim second place in the Eastern Conference. Jayson Tatum led all scorers with 40 points; Jalen Brunson and Derrick White each chipped in double figures for Boston. Luke Kornet started in place of Kristaps Porzingis and contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds while Payton Pritchard added 25 off the bench for Boston.
The Celtics started off strong and took an early 17-6 lead by dominating the first quarter. Their offense continued to flow freely and they entered halftime with an impressive 43-24 advantage over Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns (despite scoring 15 first half points ). Both Jalen Brunson and Miles McBride contributed 13 points each for New York.
After halftime, the Knicks began making a comeback behind Josh Hart’s stellar performance – scoring 30 points on 12-of-16 shooting while also providing eight rebounds and three assists. Hart was instrumental in getting back into the game but eventually pulled away late due to strong defensive efforts by Boston.
The Knicks continued their struggles in the fourth quarter, but were able to chip away at Boston’s lead with key plays and turnovers from both teams. Finally, with five minutes left, they closed to within two points before eventually tying it at 87-87 in overtime with just over one minute left for them to win it all.
Jalen Brunson has been an invaluable player for the Knicks this season, averaging 21.6 points per game in the playoffs and serving as an effective offensive presence while simultaneously being an outstanding defensive presence – an invaluable combination that is key for their success.
Jalen graduated from Villanova with two NCAA championships under his belt as part of the Wildcats, earning All-American honors in 2021 and 2022, as well as being named Jordan Brand All-Star in 2015. At Adlai Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois – which he attended prior to Villanova – he won two Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year honors, was recognized with McDonald’s All-American honors, Parade All-American recognitions, as well as playing for his nation at 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Luke Kornet
Luke Francis Kornet (born July 15, 1995) is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). At seven feet two inches (2m18/7-2) tall and seven feet two inches in college at Vanderbilt University he was selected by Boston in the second round of 2015 NBA Draft by them as an NBA player.
The Celtics made a quick trip to Madison Square Garden for their matchup against the New York Knicks. Coach Joe Mazzulla elected to rest two of his starters – Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were among them – thus starting Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, and Luke Kornet in this game.
Kornet made his mark at the Celtics on his debut, amassing 17 points, eight rebounds (six offensive) and four steals while blocking two shots – his best performance since joining them! Kornet has quickly made an impactful contribution to their team this season and makes an invaluable addition.
Luke Kornet is an exciting 7-footer who has quickly emerged as one of the team’s most captivating players. Boasting an excellent combination of speed, skill, and strength he has also taken his defense to another level this year – becoming a great shot blocker despite his smaller frame. On offense he has proven an adept scorer around the rim while providing quality passing out of short rolls.
Kornet has been an essential player for the Celtics throughout these playoffs, proving his worth by being able to defend against some of the top players in the league and providing leadership by scoring big games himself. This is why his teammates trust in him; they know he can lead their team into playoff contention while potentially becoming their star player if his game keeps improving.
