It was miserable enough, as a Celtics fan, watching the Knicks erase a 29-point deficit for the biggest comeback in NBA playoff history to go up 3-1 in the NBA Finals over the Spurs. But it got even worse after the game, hearing Karl-Anthony Towns credit his team’s experience, specifically citing their big comebacks in Boston last year.
"Last year, we were in this situation two games in a row in Boston. We found a way to get it done."
KAT was, of course, referring to Games 1 and 2 of the 2025 second round, when the Celtics blew giant second-half leads in back-to-back games. New York fell in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Pacers last season, but they have clearly benefited from continuity, connectedness, and experience.
We saw it last round in Game 1 against the Cavaliers when they walked down a 22-point lead in the final 10 minutes, completely demoralizing Cleveland in the process, and on Wednesday night, we saw an even bigger comeback on an even larger stage.
Now, the Knicks are just one win away from a championship. A big part of their run has been their cardiac nature and penchant for giant comebacks. They are a very confident bunch who believe that they can dig themselves out of any hole. And they just may be correct.
Celtics should use Knicks’ run as motivation
They found that belief last year against the big bad Celtics, and that hasn’t left them. While it’s devastating for Boston to witness and realize, it can, hopefully, serve as motivation going forward. It never felt like they truly took the Knicks seriously enough as a contender, but now they have absolutely no choice.
Furthermore, it’s a good reminder about the value of continuity. The front office has had chances to break it up and could have made runs at stars like Donovan Mitchell and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Instead, they chose to keep their core together, and this group has as much comfort as any in the league. Patience has paid off, and the Celtics may want to learn a lesson there.
Boston has its own choices to make this summer, and there’s a real chance the team looks a lot different next season. But maybe they sit back and watch what the Knicks are doing and realize that the grass isn’t always greener, and there’s a lot of value in running it back with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, one of the most successful and longest-running duos in the NBA.
Add us as a preferred source on Google