Celtics made new discovery that could haunt the Knicks for years

Hugo Gonzalez’s role with the Celtics over the past few weeks has been to sit for three quarters, then come in during the fourth and raise hell. The 19-year-old rookie’s chaotic style of play makes him the perfect man for that job.

In Tuesday's win over the New York Knicks, the job was different. He, along with Jaylen Brown, who scored at an elite level in this one, helped revive the zombies who were wearing green jerseys for the first 12 minutes of this game. Boston trailed by as many as 14 early on; they couldn't score, while the Knicks couldn't miss. Once Gonzalez checked in to start the second quarter, it felt like the energy shifted.

Hugo’s contributions were different from Jaylen’s, though. Instead of scoring points, he prevented them.

Hugo Gonzalez could be the newest Knicks villain

Gonzalez was tasked with defending Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, who wanted nothing more than to get himself to the free-throw line. Like, there were plays like this one, where he was so obviously not even trying to score the basketball -- just get fouled.

To his credit, he got Hugo a few times, with the rookie picking up a pair of quick fouls. Instead of subbing Gonzalez out after the whistles, Joe Mazzulla left him in and let him play. It was a tremendous decision. He matched Towns’ physicality and did so without fouling, leaving the big man frustrated. It was textbook verticality by the young Spaniard.

The 28th overall pick in this year's draft finished the night with four points, five rebounds, and a steal, all while giving the Cs a much-needed lift in the win.

Playing the Knicks has been Hugo Gonzalez's favorite pasttime this season

This isn't the first time that Gonzalez has made his presence known against the Knicks. He burst onto the scene in Boston's first matchup with New York back in October, making his NBA debut at Madison Square Garden.

Hugo played 22 minutes in that game and took on a similar role to the one he did on Tuesday. New York dominated in the first half, yet Boston chipped away and made the contest tight towards the end. His defensive intensity and hustle helped spark a Celtics revival that night.

Many fans were impressed with Gonzalez's ability to defend Knicks star Jalen Brunson, a perenial MVP candidate over the past few seasons. Not only did he defend him well, but he did so without fouling -- a rare feat for a rookie.

The cherry on top was how dissatisfied he was with his breakout defensive game, citing Brunson's 30 points as a reason for his disappointment. That fire, that will to improve and hold himself to a high standard, speaks volumes of Gonzalez's character.

These first two appearances vs. the Knicks may speak volumes of his destiny to be a thorn in their side for as long as he's wearing a Celtics uniform.