Depleted Knicks no match for Celtics in blowout loss
NY Post
The Knicks won’t fully be able to measure themselves against the Celtics until they stand across from them — and at full strength — in the playoffs.
Even then, it might not be enough.
The Knicks hung with the team with the best record in the NBA until early in the second half in a nationally televised showcase matchup Saturday night, but the Celtics outclassed Tom Thibodeau’s team in the third and fourth quarters for a disappointing 116-102 loss at the Garden.
“It’s definitely difficult, but we gotta step up to the challenge,” All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson said after the Knicks fell for the sixth time in eight games. “I gotta be better, plain and simple, from a vocal leader standpoint to not turning the ball over, to being a better decision-maker.
“They got on runs, turnovers, getting in transition and getting 3s and timely offensive rebounds. They’re good for a reason, and we just gotta be better.”
Brunson led the Knicks (34-23) with 34 points and nine assists with three turnovers, while Josh Hart contributed 16 with eight rebounds. But Donte DiVincenzo, Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks combined to miss 21 of 30 shots for the Knicks, who had halted a four-game losing streak Thursday night with a road win over the Sixers.