Category: Basketball

Entering the second-round series in Boston, grabbing a split on the road in the first two games, and the Knicks steal homecourt advantage. Winning both games in dramatic fashion, with your opponent blowing 20-point leads in each of them for a 2-0 lead? Then you can start thinking about not having to return for Game 5.

“Going home and realizing the opportunity that we have, just gotta make sure we’re still locked in,” Jalen Brunson said after the Knicks’ 91-90 win over the Celtics in Game 2. “Know we’re close to being done, just make sure our mindset is the same.”

For Karl-Anthony Towns, who remembers taking a 2-0 lead at Denver last year with Minnesota in a series that eventually went seven games, the lead doesn’t amount to much.

“It means we up two zip, but it doesn’t really mean anything,” Towns said before mentioning the Nuggets won the next two games on the road to even the series. “We can’t take anything for granted, we gotta find ourselves executing at a higher level. We can’t keep doing these 20-point leads for Boston and hope to come back and win the game. 

“We gotta play better, we gotta shoot better, we gotta execute better. We can’t start having that Knicks basketball being played down 20, we gotta start the game that way and finish the game that way.”

Before Game 2, head coach Tom Thibodeau said a “big challenge of the playoffs" is dealing with emotions and not looking past the next game.

“There are a lot of emotional highs, lows, and then the challenge is to reset the next day," he said. "And don’t get caught up in playing a series, you gotta focus on the task at hand, which is to win the game. Reset and focus on the things that you have to do to win that next game.”

"The jobs not done," Mitchell Robison, who was a team high plus-19 during 22 minutes Wednesday, said. "We just gonna leave it at that and continue to play basketball.

Boston’s Jaylen Brown, who scored 17 of his 20 points in Game 2 in the first half, said the defending champs “can get back in this thing no question.”

“Being down 0-2 it sucks, but we got a great group,” he said. “We just gotta come out, be a little bit more poised, take a deep breath, convert our opportunities – we missed layups, easy baskets – take advantage. 

“Two games we were up 20 points somehow ended up not with wins. It’s inexcusable, but we gonna learn from it, we gonna respond.”

How are the Celtics planning on shaking off back-to-back blown big second-half leads? “In a way, it kinda takes all the pressure off of us, no?” KristapsPorzingis said. “If you check the odds, maybe the Knicks are the favorites now to win. Who knows?

"We were expected to win, so for us to be in this hole right now, with our backs against the wall, we have nothing to lose. We got to go out there and leave it all out on the floor."

Do the Celtics feel like they’re on the ropes? 

“We’re definitely in a tough situation,” Porznigis said. “Down 2-0, but again, I’ve been in this situation on both sides, there’s a lot of basketball still to play, the momentum can change.”

Brown called it an “opportunity to show what we’re made of.”

“Not ideal situation being down 0-2,” he said. “But what’s done is done, we gotta make sure we’re ready to come out, make sure my guys are ready to come out Game 3. I think we due for a lot of makes. I think that we have a lot of great shots [Wednesday night] that didn’t go in. 

“We just gotta relax, take a deep breath, come out and play Celtic basketball. Just like we down 0-2, we can tie this thing up.” 

After shooting 25-for-100 from three and 29-for-93 after halftime in the first two games, Porzingis said the Celtics need to play with more “urgency.”

“It sucks really bad right now,” Porzingis said, “but we got a lot of basketball to play and let’s see where this goes.”

Mikal Bridges' performance has been a hot topic during the playoffs as he's struggled shooting at times, causing critics to say the Knicks overpaid when they traded five future first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for the wing last offseason.

It's been a quiet 72-hour stretch for those people with Bridges coming up in the clutch on game-sealing defensive stops in both of New York's wins over the Boston Celtics. Bridges ripped the ball away from Jaylen Brown in the Game 1 win on Monday and then stole the ball from Jayson Tatum to ice the Game 2 win on Wednesday night.

"That's what he does, that's what he does," Karl-Anthony Towns said of Bridges after the victory. "We got the Clutch Player of the Year in the NBA, and we possibly got one of the most clutchest defenders in the NBA, as well. It's only right that for all the talk people have done about Mikal, it's when the lights are the brightest that he gets to show his worth."

Jalen Brunson gave New York a 91-90 lead with 12.7 seconds remaining in Game 2, and Boston chose not to call a timeout and played it out. Tatum brought up the ball and was picked up on the defensive switch by Mitchell Robinson, who stayed with Tatum and got help from OG Anunoby before Bridges came over and knocked the ball out of Tatum's hands.

After the win, Bridges thanked his teammates for doing all they could to help get the final stop and for pushing him throughout the game. Bridges was held scoreless through three quarters, but scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to help pull off another 20-point comeback victory and take a 2-0 series lead.

"Just a hell of a job with Mitch and OG guarding pick and roll," Bridges said. "Mitch running him off the line, playing good defense. OG even helping him out. Just trying to re-react. OG make him take a tough step-back and just try to help and try to win the game."

He added: "Everything to my teammates, man. They helped me up, throughout the whole, me missing every shot until that point. It's really, truly them, just holding me together and keeping me mentally right and just telling me to keep going. I thank coach also just trusting me, coming out the fourth and running a play for me, putting that confidence in me. It's really my teammates and my coaches, they really helped me up."

Bridges credited his mental toughness but admitted it "hurts" when he's missing shots and it affects the game. He reiterated thanks to his teammates for helping him through the adversity and shared what's built him for moments like the past two games.

"Just how I was raised. My mom's real strong, mentally tough. Growing up, my mom just made me like that," he said. "Going through experience, going through college with Coach Wright and Villanova, he preached mental toughness. That really brought it out of me. I had it growing up, but I think college made it even more and established that. That's who I am."

Despite being down by 20 points in both games against Boston, Bridges and the Knicks never lost faith in their chances.

"I think we're just confident, confident knowing just always gonna find a way," Bridges said. "A lot of us saying on the bench while we were down, just like, 'We've been here before, we've been here before. Pretty sure we're going to win this game.' You can look in everybody's eyes and it's not a stressed look, it's kinda like a confident look. Knowing, alright, see how much time left, take it one play at a time, you can't get it all back on one play. Score on offense and get a stop, keep trying to do it on both ends."

Before the Knicks took the floor on Wednesday night for Game 2 in Boston, head coach Tom Thibodeau laid out part of his coaching philosophy and how that applies to winning games during the NBA Playoffs.

“Teamwork is what wins,” Thibodeau said. “It’s not the individual player as much as it is ‘how does the team function together’ and ‘how do they bring the best out of each other?’ And, when you think about the playoffs, the teams that are successful: It’s defense, it’s toughness, and it’s teamwork.

“You have to do this together. It’s very difficult to do individually.”

The Knicks spent the next 48 minutes of game time at the Boston Garden executing their coach’s plans to perfection, pulling out another stunning 20-point comeback for a 91-90 win to take a 2-0 series lead over the Celtics.

“Always have the belief in each other,” Thibodeau said after the win. “It’s about your mental toughness, defense, your teamwork, and always having the belief that you could do something better and find a way to win. It’s a long game, keep playing, and that’s what they did.”

On the final Celtics possession, he got all three. With Boston not using a timeout after Jalen Brunson’s second free throw put the Knicks ahead, the defense was switched on and ready for Jayson Tatum: Michell Robinson forced Tatum to his left, got help from OG Anunoby to turn the Celtics forward away from the hoop, and, with Tatum in the air, Mikal Bridges came off Jaylen Brown to snatch the ball to end the game.

“There was good team defense on that. There was a swarm,” the head coach said. “Tatum is so tough when gets any speed and he’s going downhill, so you need bodies in front of him. And then the pursuit from behind is also important.”

Of course, Thibodeau said nothing about offense in there as the Knicks struggled big time from the field, shooting 39 percent from the floor in the first half with Brunson going 3-for-10 and Bridges 0-for-6. Late in the game, it was another story as Bridges, who scored all 14 of his points in the final quarter, combined with Brunson to go 9-for-16 as the rest of the team was 3-for-8 in the fourth.

“We started slow, got in a big hole, dug our way out, and then guys made a lot of tough plays,” he said. “They were at their best when their best was needed down the stretch.”

On the defensive end they tigthened the screws, closing the game on a 38-17 run over the final 15 minutes of action. In the second half, the Knicks forced nine Celtics turnovers and held them to 15-for-44 shooting (34 percent), including 5-for-24 (21 percent) in the fourth.

“Our defense was outstanding and that’s what we need to do for the entire game,” Thibodeau said, before adding, in typical coaching style, “Now, we’re still really concerned about the rebounding. We have to fix that.”

New York was outrebounded 51 to 46, including 16-10 on offensive boards, leading them to be outscored 23-14 in second-chance points.

“We know we have to play for 48 minutes against them,” he added. “If you give them open shots, they’re gonna make them. If you give them a second crack at it, they’re gonna make you pay.”

The Knicks came back from a 20-point deficit for the second straight game to take a 2-0 lead over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Wednesday night.

New York entered the fourth quarter down 12 points, but outscored Boston 30-17 in the final frame. Jalen Brunson put the Knicks ahead with two free throws and Mikal Bridges – with big help from Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby – once again stepped up in the fourth quarter, coming through in the clutch and getting a stop on Jayson Tatum with the clock expiring.

After the Game 2 win, Knicks fans (and Josh Hart) shared their reactions online:

Mikal Bridges.

— Josh Hart (@joshhart) May 8, 2025

Someone forgot to tell Knicks they couldn’t beat Celtics

— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) May 8, 2025

PLAYOFF 'KAL pic.twitter.com/985vePb7Hp

— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) May 8, 2025

NUEVAYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

— Benito Antonio (@sanbenito) May 8, 2025

CLUTCH

— Erica Brunson (@eribrunson) May 8, 2025

Hahaha no way they can do that IN Boston twice right? Hell yes https://t.co/3Mk4nO2sps

— Jerry Ferrara (@jerryferrara) May 8, 2025

BRIDGES!!!!!

— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) May 8, 2025

pic.twitter.com/FpdMWrTb0Y

— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) May 8, 2025

The Knicks overturned a 16-point hole in the fourth quarter to storm back for a 91-90 win over the Celtics to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round series against Boston.

Stop if you have heard this before: Mikal Bridges overcame a poor night shooting to make the crucial defensive play to stop a potential game-winning shot by the Celtics. In Game 2, the Knicks guard, who was held scoreless through three quarters, stole the ball from Jayson Tatum in the game’s final seconds to preserve the win after Jalen Brunson’s free throws gave New York the lead.

The Knicks, who overturned a 20-point hole in Game 1, shot 12-for-24 from the floor in the fourth quarter while holding the Celtics to a horrendous 5-for-25, including a nine missed threes.

Karl-Anthony Towns kept the Knicks in the game early and finished with 21 points and 17 rebounds in 35 minutes in a game where every New York starter had a negative plus-minus, and it looked hopeless for the visitors as Boston built a 20-point third-quarter lead.

Bridges finished with 14 points on 6-for-18 shooting with seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and two turnovers in 43 minutes. He was a minus-6, but came up huge when it mattered.

Here are the takeaways...

- The game fell into a pattern: The Knicks would fall into a deep hole, claw their way back to within single digits, and then fall back into a deep hole. That was until Boston stopped making shots and New York had enough of being down double-digits.

Entering the fourth down a dozen, Bridges finally got his first bucket with 11:04 left after missing his first eight shots. He would score seven points to start the quarter, but the problem was that the Celtics scored 11 in that span and stretched the lead back to 16 with under nine to play. 

That was when the Knicks went on a 14-2 run to make it a four-point game with three to play, wth Bridges scoring seven of those points. Boston went over six minutes without a made field goal (0-for-9, including seven from deep)

After a Knicks timeout, a Towns and-1 and a fadeaway from Jalen Brunson, who had a terrible start to the night shooting, gave New York their first lead of the game with 1:59 to play.

Boston's cold streak hit 13 straight missed buckets and Brunson's running layup made it a three-point New York lead with a minute to play. Tatum cut the lead to one with two at the line, Brunson had a good look at a three, and Tatum (out of a timeout) answered by going coast-to-coast, blowing past Mitchell Robinson for a dunk – Boston’s first field goal in 8:21 of game time – for a one-point lead.

Brunson's two at the line saw the lead back to the visitors with 13 to play. The Celtics didn’t use their last timeout to advance the ball and had it back in Tatum’s hands, but he was forced to his left off a pick by Robinson and turned away from the hoop by OG Anunoby – before Bridges took the ball from his hand as he looked to make a leaping pass to end the game.

- Brunson finished with 17 points (6-for-19 shooting) with seven assists and three rebounds and was a minus-1. 

Josh Hart, who had just six rebounds and three assists, made up for it with efficient scoring, finishing with 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting to lead New York.

- In the third, things could have turned around when Anunoby had a monster dunk plowing through Derrick White that would have made it a seven-point game. Instead, it went for an offensive foul as the Celtics guard had both feet out of the restricted area. Boston took advantage with an 11-2 run for an 18-point edge (largest thus far), forcing a Tom Thibodeau timeout with under five to play in the quarter.

Of course, that is when the Celtics did their part to keep the Knicks in the game. Tatum and Jaylen Brown had a 2-on-1 break up 20 and three to play in the third. It went for a ball out of bounds. Could that have changed the game as Boston was enjoying a 16-5 run? New York answered with an 8-0 run to end the period. It was a harbinger of things to come in the fourth as the home team crumbled. Overall, they shot 15-for-45 (33 percent) in the second half, including going 5-for-19 from three.

- Down 11 to start the second quarter, Towns single-handedly kept New York in the game to start the second as he got Al Horford for back-to-back old-fashioned three-point plays and then blew past Horford for an easy bucket to cut Boston's lead to five on his 8-0 run.

That came with Robinson providing some solid play off the bench, adding four points, two steals, three rebounds, and was a plus-7 in eight minutes. But a hack-a-Robinson sent him to the bench. And then things, as they did all night, slide away for the Knicks. Sloppy play struck with three bad turnovers and more Boston offensive rebounds, leading to 16 16-point New York deficit with three to play. 

The Knicks closed the half on an 11-4 run, with Hart going for six points. But there was much to clean up as Boston's nine offensive rebounds gave them 15 second-chance points to New York's six points on four rebounds. (And the Knicks' eight turnovers led to 13 points.)

Towns had 14 at the half (6-for-11) with 10 rebounds. Brunson was 3-for-10 in the first half for seven points and had as many assists as turnovers (two).

Brown, who settled for threes and was 1-for-10 in Game 1, was moving much better in the early goings with 17 first-half points on 7-for-16 from the floor and added six rebounds (four offensive). Tatum did not start well again with just two first-half points (1-for-7 from the floor). White continued to be a thorn in the Knicks’ side with 14 (3-for-6 from deep) in the opening half.

Brown had just three points in thes second half going 1-for-6, Tatum had 11 while going 4-for-12, and white had 16, going 0-for-5 from three.

- The first quarter was ugly. The Celtics missed their first four threes and started 2-for-11 from the floor, but the Knicks failed to capitalize as they started 0-for-7 from the field. (Anunoby made a three on the game’s opening possession, but, upon review, he didn’t beat the shot clock and the points came off the board.) The home side was quickly up seven before two buckets from Towns finally broke the seal. A deluge of buckets didn’t follow as the Knicks were 2-for-16 from the floor (0-for-3 from deep) behind 16-4 late in the first quarter. 

Brunson missed his first five attempts before a bucket with 16 seconds left in the first quarter, but he wasn’t alone as Bridges (0-for-5) and Anunoby (0-for-2) went scoreless with New York shooting 6-for-23 in the quarter. Hart made the Knicks' lone three on eight attempts.

Who was the game MVP?

Thibs is the hero for the mentality of his team being able to get over the horrible play and pushing all the right buttons, including having Robinson give him 22 minutes off the bench with six points, eight rebounds (three offensive) and three steals. He was a plus-19.

Highlights

WHAT A MOVE BY JALEN BRUNSON 🌬

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/C0XK3TiQI2

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 7, 2025

KAT AND-ONE pic.twitter.com/1JHqQqN6LM

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 7, 2025

WHAT A FEED FROM KAT 🔥

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/bf3jLCYOAF

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 8, 2025

KAT with the TOUGH fadeaway ♨️

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/Vh7BjjjoPu

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 8, 2025

OG Anunoby's poster dunk on Derrick White gets waved off for a charge pic.twitter.com/G0djrZJiae

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 8, 2025

MIKAL BRIDGES 🔥

(via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/vQLuUdxeCN

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 8, 2025

JALEN BRUNSON FOR THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/rCJsRDnnZN

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 8, 2025

TWO GAMES!

TWO GAME-SEALING STOPS FOR MIKAL BRIDGES! pic.twitter.com/YkEtaS8WhH

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 8, 2025

What's next

The series trades the Boston Garden for Madison Square Garden, with the Knicks having the opportunity to end the series at home, starting with Saturday's Game 3. Tip is set for 3:30 p.m.

Thunder set NBA playoff record for first-half points vs. Nuggets in Game 2 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Oklahoma City Thunder set an NBA playoff record for first-half points with 87 against the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinal series Wednesday night.

Oklahoma City surpassed the previous record of 86 set by the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on June 9, 2017. Chet Holmgren, who missed two critical free throws late in Game 1, made a pair with a second remaining to set the record.

The Thunder tied the record for points in any half of a playoff game. Milwaukee had 87 in the second half against Denver on April 23, 1978.

The Thunder shot 58.8% from the field and made 17 of 18 free throws to take an 87-56 lead at the break. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 18 points. All five Thunder starters scored in double figures in the first half.

Oklahoma City eventually won 149-106 to even the series. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 34 points and eight assists in three quarters.

Knicks thriving, Celtics faltering under pressure in playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON — The New York Knicks’ affinity for clutch time has been the difference so far in their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Boston Celtics.

For the second straight game, the Knicks erased a 20-point deficit and defeated the reigning NBA champions at TD Garden. They’ve been exceptional in the clutch this postseason, with seven of their eight games coming down to the final five minutes. Six of them have been wins, including Wednesday’s 91-90 triumph.

With their Game 2 victory, the Knicks became the first team in NBA history to complete a 20-point comeback in consecutive playoff games. Meanwhile, the Celtics became the first team since 1996-97 to lose two games while leading by 20 or more points in a single postseason.

The Celtics entered Wednesday with a -15.7 net rating in clutch situations. In three clutch-time games, they shot 26.1 percent from the floor and 10 percent from 3.

Boston’s inability to close out games — and New York’s perseverance — could ultimately determine the outcome of the series. In Games 1 and 2 combined, the Celtics shot 9-for-45 (20 percent from the floor and 4-for-24 from 3 -point range (16.7 percent) for a total of 33 points in the fourth quarter.

Knicks forward Mikal Bridges nearly outscored the C’s himself in the final 12 minutes of Game 2, dropping all 14 of his points in the frame and topping off the performance with a game-sealing steal against Jayson Tatum. Jalen Brunson, the 2024-25 NBA Clutch Player of the Year, scored all six Knicks points in the final two minutes and has outscored Boston in the final five fourth-quarter minutes of both games, 17-13.

Tatum finished Game 2 with only 13 points (5-19 FG) — his lowest scoring output of the season.

“They made every play,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said of the Knicks. “Throughout the end of third and into the fourth quarter, I thought we generated some good looks. We had some live-ball turnovers, and they took advantage of it. They made the necessary plays to win.”

Jaylen Brown was among the few bright spots for Boston in the devastating loss. The 2024 NBA Finals MVP tied Derrick White for a team-high 20 points, though he didn’t score in the fourth quarter.

So, how can Brown and the C’s avoid letting their late-game collapses affect them mentally for the remainder of the series?

“Just be poised, take a deep breath, and just go out there and do what we’re supposed to do,” Brown said. “We gotta be better to close games, and we gotta learn and respond fast. So that’s the key. Shift your mentality, shift your focus. What’s in the past is over with. Let it sting a little bit, and then do whatever it takes Game 3.”

Brown admitted the team’s performance has been “inexcusable,” but he isn’t losing faith as the series shifts to New York.

“These are the moments where we need to show our resiliency, we need to show our mental toughness,” he added. “Because we can get back into this thing, no question. Obviously, being down 0-2, it sucks. But we’ve got a great group, and if I had to select any guys to get it done, it’s the group that we have in our locker room.”

The Celtics will look to get back on track Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Tip-off for Game 3 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET.

Basketball world reacts to Knicks' second-straight comeback win over Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Knicks-Celtics sequel was very similar to the original.

Same cast. Same plot. Same ending.

The Celtics go up by 20 in the third quarter, the Knicks chip away and take a late lead, Mikal Bridges makes a defensive stop to seal the win, the Knicks celebrate on Boston’s home court, and Knicks fans celebrate in the streets of Manhattan.

History repeated itself on Wednesday as the Knicks erased a 20-point deficit and defeated the Celtics 91-90 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. New York, which also erased a 20-point third quarter deficit in Game 1 en route to a 108-105 win, return to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon with a 2-0 series lead over the heavily-favored defending champions.

Jalen Brunson made two free throws with 12.7 seconds left for a 91-90 lead. Jayson Tatum was then unable to get a shot off after being stifled by OG Anunoby and Bridges, who batted the ball away just before the buzzer.

That made the Knicks the first team to comeback from a 20-point deficit and win in consecutive postseason games, per TNT, and the first team to do so in any two games within a single series since at least 1998, according to ESPN.

The historic comebacks for New York and collapses for Boston caused an uproar on social media….

Basketball world reacts to Knicks' second-straight comeback win over Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Knicks-Celtics sequel was very similar to the original.

Same cast. Same plot. Same ending.

The Celtics go up by 20 in the third quarter, the Knicks chip away and take a late lead, Mikal Bridges makes a defensive stop to seal the win, the Knicks celebrate on Boston’s home court, and Knicks fans celebrate in the streets of Manhattan.

History repeated itself on Wednesday as the Knicks erased a 20-point deficit and defeated the Celtics 91-90 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. New York, which also erased a 20-point third quarter deficit in Game 1 en route to a 108-105 win, return to Madison Square Garden for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon with a 2-0 series lead over the heavily-favored defending champions.

Jalen Brunson made two free throws with 12.7 seconds left for a 91-90 lead. Jayson Tatum was then unable to get a shot off after being stifled by OG Anunoby and Bridges, who batted the ball away just before the buzzer.

That made the Knicks the first team to comeback from a 20-point deficit and win in consecutive postseason games, per TNT, and the first team to do so in any two games within a single series since at least 1998, according to ESPN.

The historic comebacks for New York and collapses for Boston caused an uproar on social media….

Porzingis opens up about illness that's limited him in Celtics-Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

What’s wrong with Kristaps Porzingis?

That’s been a pressing question since Monday night, when the Boston Celtics big man exited Game 1 of the team’s second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks due to an illness.

After the Celtics’ loss to the Knicks in Game 2 on Wednesday night, Porzingis provided some answers.

“Yeah, I’m dealing with some — I don’t know how to call it, but just not feeling my best at all,” Porzingis told reporters following Boston’s heartbreaking 91-90 defeat at TD Garden. “It just kills me inside that it’s happening in this moment.”

Porzingis, who went scoreless over 13 minutes in Game 1 before coming out in the second quarter, made more of an impact in Game 2 with eight points on 3 of 5 shooting with four rebounds. He was on the court for just 13:53 minutes, however, and still didn’t look like his usual self.

“It’s a tough moment for me to not be able to be with guys,” Porzingis said, adding that he’s been “super appreciative” of the support he’s received both inside the organization and from fans as he navigates his illness.

“It’s not an injury or anything, but just not feeling my best. It’s tough for me, honestly, but who cares? Nobody feels sorry for us, sorry for me, and we have keep going.”

Porzingis missed eight consecutive games in late February and early March due a viral upper respiratory illness, and appeared to confirm speculation that his current condition is tied to that original issue.

“Probably. Probably,” Porzingis said when asked if the two illnesses are related. “I’ve had ups and downs up until this point, and just now had a big crash. My energy, my everything hasn’t been good.

“But who cares? Have to look forward, and we’ll get better from this point on.”

The Celtics certainly could use Porzingis’ energy. The C’s became the first team in the NBA’s play-by-play era (since 1996-97) to lose two games in the same postseason when leading by 20-plus points, per Celtics stats guru Dick Lipe, and looked flat and disjointed in the fourth quarter of both Game 1 and Game 2.

Porzingis played a key role in Boston’s regular-season success against the Knicks, averaging 22.4 points per game versus his former team since coming to Boston while making 50 percent of his 3-pointers (26 for 52). But it’s clear that version of Porzingis hasn’t been present at TD Garden in this series to date.

The series shifts to New York on Saturday for Game 3, with tip-off set for 3:30 p.m. ET. NBC Sports Boston’s coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET with Celtics Pregame Live.