The Boston Celtics have lost two consecutive playoff games to the New York Knicks, making them the first NBA team to blow 20-point leads and lose in back-to-back playoff games.
“Two games we’re up 20 points somehow end up not with wins is inexcusable,” Celtics star Jaylen Brown said. “Obviously being down two, it sucks.”
The Celtics collapsed again Wednesday night in Game 2, missing shots when it mattered most as New York squeezed out a 91-90 win.
It’s a shocking turn for a team that dominated the regular season with 61 wins.
What makes these losses even more painful? The Knicks have led for just 12 minutes total across both games.
New York didn’t take their first lead in Game 2 until the final four minutes. They had to overcome a 16-point deficit early in the fourth quarter after battling back from nine points down in the fourth quarter of Game 1.
The Celtics’ collapse has been dramatic. They missed 14 of their final 15 shots in Game 2 and were outscored 23-6 over the last 8:30.
Boston’s love affair with the three-point shot has turned toxic in this series.
During the regular season, the Celtics set NBA records for most three-pointers attempted (3,955) and made (1,457). It was their bread and butter.
But in these playoffs? It’s been a nightmare.
In Game 1, Boston set an NBA playoff record with 45 missed three-pointers. They followed that up by missing 30 more in Game 2.
That’s 75 missed threes in just two games.
The fourth quarters have been particularly brutal, with the Celtics shooting a miserable 4-for-26 from beyond the arc when games are on the line.
When the pressure’s highest – in “clutch time” during the final five minutes with the score within five points – they’re shooting just 3-for-20 across both games.
Boston’s stars have disappeared when needed most. Tatum and Brown are a combined 1-for-12 in clutch situations.
Both games ended with costly turnovers by the Celtics’ best players. Brown lost the ball when Mikal Bridges stripped him in the closing seconds of Game 1. In Game 2, Bridges deflected Tatum’s pass after he dribbled into a double team as time ran out.
“They made every play,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “We put ourselves in position and we just didn’t make the plays.”
This isn’t the first time Boston has faced an 0-2 hole. They were down 0-2 against Miami in the 2023 Eastern Conference finals before winning three straight to force Game 7 (which they ultimately lost).
They also fell behind 0-2 against Brooklyn in the 2021 first round before losing that series in five games.
But this feels different. The Celtics aren’t just losing – they’re finding new, heartbreaking ways to give games away after building seemingly comfortable leads.
Now they’ll head to New York needing to win at least one road game to keep their championship hopes alive.
