NBA champion Celtics eliminated from playoffs by rampant Knicks
New York – The New York Knicks thrashed the Boston Celtics 119-81 to send the defending champions crashing out of the NBA playoffs on Friday.
The Knicks booked their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years with a rampant display to complete a 4-2 series victory.
Six Knicks players finished in double figures, with Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby leading the way with 23 points apiece.
Mikal Bridges drained four three-pointers on his way to 22 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 21. Josh Hart finished with a triple-double of 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
The blowout win sets up a showdown against the Knicks' arch-rivals the Indiana Pacers next week for a place in the NBA Finals.
New York will head into that best-of-seven series brimming with confidence after an electrifying performance that swept aside a Boston team who had dominated the Knicks in a game five win on Wednesday.
'In game five they got the best of us and we responded tonight,' Brunson told ESPN after Friday's win. 'We just found a way to keep making plays on the defensive side, the offense was just rolling.'
Brunson will spearhead the Knicks challenge 25 years after his father Rick was a member of the New York team that last played in the Eastern Conference finals in 2000.
'This is great. I mean, the fact that we haven't been here since my dad was on the team — he's not gonna like that — but it means a lot to this organization and this city.'
– 'New York is dying for it' –
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said his team had delivered a complete performance to oust the reigning champions.
'I thought from start to finish we were terrific,' Thibodeau said. '(The Celtics) are a terrific team on both sides of the ball. They play their style no matter what, and so they're not going to hand you anything. You have to earn it. And I felt we did that.
'But we can't get carried away. Obviously it's a great win and we advance. But you also understand that you have to get ready for the next series. We know that Indiana is a terrific team and we're going to have to be ready.'
A slew of celebrities such as Timothee Chalamet, Lenny Kravitz, Ben Stiller and Spike Lee were courtside at Madison Square Garden to see the Knicks romp to victory.
Thousands of Knicks fans, who could either not get tickets or were unable to shell out $600 for the last ones available, watched on giant screens.
A sea of orange and blue seized possession of Seventh Avenue from Madison Square Garden to Macy's, whilst fans celebrated as if they had won the title.
Some climbed lamp posts, others stood on car roofs whilst the historic landmark the Empire State Building was illuminated with the Knicks colours.
'I had to be here … It's incredible … the city is buzzing!' said teacher Jason Zegarski, who had come in from Trenton in neighbouring New Jersey.
Apricot Brown, an author and content creator for children, is old enough to recall the last time the Knicks made the Conference final.
'It's like a lifetime, when I was about a teen, with (team legend) Patrick Ewing,' she told AFP.
'It was, like, this huge thing in my family.'
Not many Knicks fans, though, recall the last time they were crowned overall champions, back in 1973, making the desire to go all the way even more fervent.
'The Knicks have the most loyal fans and the most desperate fans,' brand manager Glenn Beyer told AFP.
'New York is dying for it.'
Boston — who were dealt a crushing blow in game four with a season-ending injury to star Jayson Tatum — had given their fans hope of a miraculous comeback after their game five win.
However, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla acknowledged the Knicks had just been too good.
'At the end of the day, we set a goal out, and we didn't achieve that goal,' he said afterwards.
'You have to take your hats off to the Knicks. They played a great series and they've been great all year, and Thibs is a great coach — so you have to take your hat off to them.'
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