Boston Celtics’ Title Hopes Diminish After Game 1 Loss to New York Knicks

The Boston Celtics’ journey to a potential NBA championship hit a roadblock on Monday night, as they suffered a dramatic collapse at home in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks.

Boston had a commanding 20-point lead during the third quarter, but the team’s offensive performance fell apart in the second half. A sharp decline in shooting, particularly from beyond the arc, allowed the Knicks to surge back and snatch a dramatic win. The Celtics’ struggles were evident as they shot just 29.3% from the field and 26.5% from 3-point range during the final two quarters. In the fourth quarter alone, those numbers plummeted to 19% and 13.3%, respectively.

While the Celtics struggled offensively, Al Horford did manage to achieve a personal milestone. By grabbing seven rebounds, he moved into 16th place on the NBA’s all-time playoff rebound list, surpassing Kevin Garnett (1,534). Horford now sits behind Charles Barkley (1,582) on the list.

Despite the achievement, the Celtics could have used more scoring from Horford. The 37-year-old big man shot just 2-of-6 from the field, finishing with seven points in 34 minutes off the bench. Horford has been a key player for Boston in recent years, contributing with his ability to shoot from outside, score in the post, grab rebounds, and defend effectively.

Defensively, Boston allowed the Knicks to catch fire from 3-point range, with Jalen Brunson—who earned Clutch Player of the Year honors—draining three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. OG Anunoby added two of his own, including one with 1:08 left in regulation, which gave New York a two-point lead.

Many analysts believed that Boston had an easy path to an NBA championship last year, but after this tough loss, the Celtics now face an uphill battle if they are to secure another Larry O’Brien Trophy.