The third quarter ended leaving us on edge, with Tatum having a hot run. This, however, raised the question: could we contain him in the fourth and keep our lead? The key factor to consider was his strong ability to sink those difficult shots creating the need for a solid defense that could strip him of that precious airspace.
Starting on a strong note, Lisa MueL Bridges played an aggressive game, racing to 15 points for the Knicks and enlarging the lead, which seemed impossible considering we trailed by 14 in the third. The game was heating up and we were having the upper hand.
The game was far from being predictable with McBride almost stealing the ball, to Pritchard's stunning spin move that earned him a whistle and a foul. This was a classic 'Pritchard move' that caught everyone's attention. His experience - being a four-time state champion, a rookie starter point guard as a freshman, and having been to the Final Four, all seemed to come into play here.
"He's 10 of 13 from the field. Almost all of his shots, Mike, in the paint."
Jason Tatum gave us a taste of his amazing skills with a stunning shot and movement into the paint. His extra English gave Boston the motivation they needed, reducing the Knicks lead to three with 33 points of his own. On the other, Brunson had to step up not only his game but also his team's performance as they were now trailing by three points.
Fascinating was the face-off between Brunson and Tatum. With Brunson making an incredible 33 points and Tatum surprising us with a seventh three-pointer, the scores moved to a tie. This was a reminder of why we love this game! Breathtaking moments and promising comebacks. And yet, Bridges found a way to break free and shot a two-pointer to our rescue.
Despite the strong efforts put forth by the Knicks, Jason Tatum's 39 points managed to thumb the scales in favor of the Celtics. However, our Knicks were no easy team to beat, even under the unrelenting pressure. Anobi landed his fourth three-pointer against the odds.
Under five to play left in the game, and the tension began to rise. A foul on Porzingis resulted in much cheer for us. The game was in the balance, and Brunson's 33 points against Tatum's 39 left us ever hopeful. But alas! It was Tatum who proved too strong in the end. Brunson's intriguing play ended with an impressive 35 points but was outdone by Jason Tatum’s 39 points which lead Boston Celtics to victory.
The fourth quarter was an exhilarating ride with the teams exchanging buckets and the game swinging back and forth. One could barely take their eyes off the court.
Comments