Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown Astound NBA Fans in Dominant Win vs. Jalen Brunson, Knicks

zach bacharContributor IFebruary 25, 2024

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown couldn’t miss on Saturday night.

The star wing duo led the Boston Celtics to a resounding 116-102 win over the New York Knicks in a clash between two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Despite holding a narrow four-point lead at the half, the Celtics dominated the Knicks throughout the third quarter before cruising to a victory in the fourth.

Tatum dropped an efficient 19 points while playing exceptional defense all night long. He added six rebounds and six assists, shooting 46.7 percent from the field in 43 minutes on the floor.

Celtics on NBC Sports Boston @NBCSCelticsDENIED BY TATUM 🚫🤯 pic.twitter.com/VMrA2CrtRa

JTMuse @TatumMuseJayson Tatum tonight:

19 PTS
6 REB/AST
2 STL
1 BLK
7/15 FG

He is now 17-7 against the Knicks in his career. pic.twitter.com/pHonfwa3Yp

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBAI know a lot of people don’t want to hear it until/if they win a title, but one of the reasons the Celtics are so good is their best player is VERY committed to being a good defender.

When Jayson Tatum digs in and defends, no one else can make an excuse not to.

That’s…

🇨🇦N-jay 🏀 @_Njay3you can’t name me 5 guys in the league that have a better combination of offense and defense than Tatum in the league

Ian Begley @IanBegleyBoston goes up 20 on a Jayson Tatum three late in the third. Celtics have hit 9 of 11 3-point attempts in the third and are 15-for-25 from three for the game.

JAYSONOFTATUM @huntofmike_Tatum with good defense on Brunson

Justin Turpin @JustinmTurpinJoe Mazzulla was fired up after that Jayson Tatum three.

Back-to-back 3s, timeout New York

Brown was getting to the rim with ease in the first half, while his hot shooting from three-point range kept the Knicks’ defense from backing off him. The 27-year-old finished with 30 points, with 27 coming in the first three quarters alone. Brown connected on 13 of his 24 field goal attempts, including a 3-9 mark from behind the arc.

The Celtics shot 43 percent from three as a team, leaving NBA fans amazed with their impressive shooting display.

Boston Celtics @celticsCookin’ from deep 🎯 pic.twitter.com/3SHT3rN9Y2

Tim Bontemps @TimBontempsAfter 3: Celtics 97, Knicks 84

An absurd offensive performance from Boston, which is shooting 80 percent from 2-point range (24-30) and 15-for-27 from 3. It’s on pace to be the best shooting performance in franchise history, with all five starters already in double-figures.

CelticsMuse @CelticsMuseJaylen Brown tonight:

30 Points
8 Rebounds
3 Assists
13-24 FG

4-0 vs the Knicks this season. pic.twitter.com/R37WGZD2zB

Fred Katz @FredKatzThe Celtics have shooting all over the place, but it’s not just that. They just do not settle at all. So good at driving and kicking and driving and kicking and playing that on a loop until they finally get an open, stand-still look.

Green Machine @Greenmachine17_Jaylen Brown is on another level tonight. Taking all of that unwarranted All Star hate personally

Unicorn SZN ☘️ @24celtsJaylen Brown in 1st Half

20 points (9-12 FG)
3 rebounds
0 turnovers pic.twitter.com/Pas4ndGv1C

Noa Dalzell 🏀 @NoaDalzellNBAJaylen Brown is just dominating right now. Making the right play every time – 20 points on 9-11 shooting.
Second consecutive game he’ll have at least 20 at the half.

Rit Holtzman @BenRitholtzNBAThe Celtics shooting is borderline unfair.

Jalen Brunson put up a valiant effort despite the loss, scoring 34 points and racking up nine assists on 12-25 shooting. The rest of New York’s rotation struggled offensively, as Josh Hart was the only other Knick to score at least 15 points.

The Celtics moved to 45-12 with the victory, adding onto their best record in the NBA. They’re currently in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 seed in the East, now owning an eight-game lead over the second-place Cleveland Cavaliers.