It felt like half of New York City crammed into Madison Square Garden just to see the Knicks finish off the Celtics, and they got their money’s worth. A 119‑81 beatdown in Game 6. Not a close win. Not a nail-biter. A flat-out demolition of the defending champs.

This win ended a drought that’s been hanging over the franchise for a full quarter-century. The last time this team made it this far, people were still renting movies from Blockbuster. It’s been that long.

So yeah, this meant something. Not just for the team, but for every fan who’s stuck it out through the chaos. For the ones who lived through all the false starts and “maybe next year"s.

But this wasn’t some random hot streak or fluky series. New York’s been building toward this for a while — through big trades and some good old-fashioned hustle. 

From Fifty‑Win Hope to Postseason Heat Check

New York’s 51‑31 regular‑season mark stamped them as a legit third seed, built on Tom Thibodeau’s usual defensive grit but souped‑up with actual bucket‑getting horsepower this time around. Front office boss Leon Rose spent the past year shopping like it was Black Friday: Karl‑Anthony Towns for interior scoring, Mikal Bridges for two‑way punch, and OG Anunoby as the Swiss‑Army‑knife defender every contender needs. Sprinkle that on top of Jalen Brunson’s ascension to bona‑fide closer, and suddenly the Knicks were staring down some real postseason expectations.

Boston, of course, still wore the crown. The Celtics cruised to 61 wins — back‑to‑back 60‑plus seasons for just the fourth time in team history — and looked every bit the giant everyone expected.

Both teams took care of business in the first round, but they did it in pretty different ways. The Knicks got pushed by Detroit a lot harder than the 4–2 series score suggests — every win they got on the road came down to the wire. Jalen Brunson carried the scoring load, Towns chipped in, and OG and Bridges made big plays when it mattered most.

Boston had a slightly smoother path. They handled Orlando in five games, but it wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. The Magic played them tough, especially early on, but the Celtics' depth eventually wore them down. Tatum and Brown did their thing, and Derrick White stepped up in a big way.

The Semis in Six: A Whirlwind Rewind

The first few games of this series were chaotic, tense, and full of swings. Game 1 saw the Knicks erase a 20-point deficit in Boston to steal an overtime win behind big nights from Brunson and Anunoby, while the Celtics went ice cold from deep.

In Game 2, the Knicks did it again — another 20-point comeback, another gritty win, this time sealed by clutch free throws and late-game defense. By the time the series shifted to New York for Game 3, the Celtics were forced to punch back hard, hitting shots early and often while the Knicks looked flat.

Then came Game 4, and everything changed. Brunson dropped 39, the Knicks stormed ahead, and late in the fourth, Jayson Tatum went down with a ruptured Achilles that shifted the tone of the entire playoffs. Just like that, New York had a 3–1 lead — and Boston had no answers.

Game 5 – Celtics 127, Knicks 102

Game 5 was one of those weird ones where everything pointed toward a Knicks closeout… and then absolutely none of it happened.

With their backs against the wall and no Jayson Tatum to lean on, the Celtics came out playing like a team with nothing to lose — and it showed. Derrick White couldn’t miss, Jaylen Brown was aggressive from the jump, and Boston’s role players actually gave them something for the first time since Tatum went down.

Jrue Holiday turned into a defensive menace again, giving Brunson trouble all night, and the Knicks just looked out of sync. They were sloppy with the ball, soft defensively, and settled for way too many jumpers. It was by far their worst showing of the postseason.

Even Thibs looked a little shell-shocked. And look, New York still held a 3–2 lead at the end of the night, but the momentum was suddenly on Boston’s side, and Knicks fans started sweating out the possibility of a Game 7 back in the Garden.

Game 6 – Knicks 119, Celtics 81

That worry evaporated about 30 seconds into Game 6. OG Anunoby knocked down a wide-open corner three to start things off, and from that moment on, the floodgates just kind of opened. Karl-Anthony Towns went to work early on Al Horford, using his size to score in close — something he hadn't done consistently earlier in the series — and Jalen Brunson carved up Boston’s defense with his usual crafty footwork and off-angle finishes.

The Knicks brought energy from the tip, and the Celtics, already down their superstar, looked completely out of sorts. New York blitzed them in transition, locked in defensively, and forced Boston into a mess of ugly possessions. By halftime, the Knicks led by 27 — their biggest halftime lead in franchise playoff history — and it felt like the Garden was ready to burst.

Josh Hart was everywhere. He recorded his first career playoff triple-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, doing all the little things that don't always show up in the box score but completely change a game. Towns finally looked like the version of himself Knicks fans had been waiting for — 21 points, 12 boards, and physical play on both ends. Anunoby had 23, Brunson dropped 23 too, and Mikal Bridges chipped in 22.

Why the Knicks’ Blueprint Worked

1. Defense First, Second, and Third

The Knicks put the clamps on in Game 6, plain and simple. Boston managed just 51 points through the first three quarters, and it wasn’t because they were missing open shots — it was because New York made life miserable for them on every single possession.

Mitchell Robinson held down the paint like a bouncer at the rim, swatting and altering everything in his area. And Miles McBride’s chase-down block on White was the kind of play that gets replayed in the arena all next season. The Knicks didn’t just out-talent Boston — they outworked them, out-hustled them, and absolutely owned the defensive end.

2. Balanced Buckets Beat Iso‑Ball

The Knicks didn’t just rely on one guy to carry the offense — they shared the load and it paid off big time. In Game 6 alone, six different guys hit double figures, and four of them topped 20. That kind of balance is something New York hasn’t had in years.

When Boston started crowding Brunson and forcing him away from his left, it opened up driving lanes for OG and Bridges to get downhill. And when the Celtics switched smaller defenders onto Towns, he finally stopped settling from deep and went to work in the post, using his size to just back guys down and finish inside.

Brunson still led the way overall — he averaged 26 and 7 for the series — but the big difference was that the Knicks didn’t need him to do everything on every possession. He had help. Real help. And when you’ve got multiple dudes scoring efficiently and reading the game the right way, it just makes life way harder for any defense.

3. Depth by Design, Not Accident

Mitchell Robinson came off the bench and still made a real impact — especially when Boston tried the hack-a-Robinson strategy to throw him off. They fouled him intentionally on several trips down the floor, hoping to disrupt the Knicks’ rhythm and take advantage of his free throw struggles. But Robinson kept his composure, stayed active defensively, and didn’t let it rattle him. Myles McBride stepped up off the bench as the primary reserve guard, giving them strong defense, hustle, and timely shooting when it mattered.

The Knicks weren’t running waves of fresh legs at the Celtics — they just got big minutes and smart play from a core group that stayed locked in. That trust and cohesion helped them absorb Boston’s punches and close the series out without needing any unexpected heroics.

Boston didn’t have that same luxury. With Tatum out, they had to rely on guys like Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard to step into roles they weren’t built for. Those guys are solid in the right situations, but asking them to run the offense or create in crunch time? That’s a big ask. And it showed — Boston’s offense just couldn’t keep up. It stalled out more often than not, and they never found a real rhythm without their best player out there to steady things.

What Went Sideways in Boston

1. The Achilles Heard ’Round Beantown — You lose a top‑five player, you probably lose the series. Boston’s offense morphed from free‑flowing to Brown‑or‑bust overnight. Brown averaged 29 points in Games 5‑6, but also coughed up 11 turnovers and fouled out of the elimination game.

2. Porzingis Played … But Wasn’t Really There — Battling a viral illness, the 7‑foot‑3 sniper managed just 11 total points in Games 5‑6. Without his pick‑and‑pop gravity, New York’s help defenders camped in the paint.

3. Salary‑Cap Reality Looms — Tatum’s super‑max kicks in this summer, Brown’s extension already on the books. Combine that with the new punitive tax aprons and suddenly Brad Stevens has to answer one of the scariest front‑office questions in sports: Run it back or reshuffle?

New York vs. Indiana: Old Rivalry, New Stakes

The Pacers are rolling into this series with a full head of steam. They handled Milwaukee in five, then stunned the top-seeded Cavaliers in another five, playing fast, loose, and confident the whole way. Tyrese Haliburton’s been the engine — running the break, launching threes, and picking defenses apart with his passing.

Pascal Siakam has quietly looked like a perfect fit next to him, scoring efficiently and filling in the gaps. And Rick Carlisle’s 10-man rotation has been giving teams fits — every guy that checks in plays with pace and energy, and they wear you down over 48 minutes.

This is a complete contrast to the way the Knicks operate. Indiana ranked seventh in pace this season; New York was way down at 26th. The Pacers want to push the tempo and turn it into a track meet. The Knicks want to slow it down, grind it out, and make every possession count. It’s not just about who scores more — it’s about whose style wins out.

A Knicks Team Built, Not Bought

This run isn’t a Disney montage of plucky overachievers. It’s the by‑product of slow‑cooked roster building: draft your heartbeat (Brunson), acquire wings who defend and shoot (Bridges, Anunoby), take a gamble on top‑tier talent when it becomes available (Towns), then hand it to a coach who installs accountability every practice.

The Knicks haven’t solved basketball, but they’ve carved an identity strong enough to topple a dynasty in waiting.

For Knicks fans, the joy is partly the scoreboard and partly what it means. Twenty‑five years of heartache melted away in one glorious second half. There are bigger mountains ahead, but Friday night reminded us the Garden can still swing a playoff game.

All stats courtesy of NBA.com.