Knicks 106, Celtics 110

Game Highlights

Photo of the Game

Numerous Celtics greet Eddie House on the court, as the Game operations crew paid tribute to House's two-plus seasons as a Celtic with an emotional video tribute.
Brian Babineau/NBAE/Getty

By Marc D'Amico
Celtics.com

Key Moment

With the Celtics ahead by three and less than a minute remaining, everyone in the Garden knew that this game was over, especially considering the lack of defense shown throughout the night by both teams. The Knicks are loaded with shooters and were nailing jumpers as if they were layups all night, but that's not where they went on this possession.

Boston's perimeter defense held true for the entire possession and forced New York to drive to the basket. When they did, the C's defense collapsed on trapped the Knicks on the baseline. But just when it looked like New York ran out of options, Wilson Chandler was found streaking down the lane, wide open. Chandler caught a perfect pass and went up for an uncontested layup -- or so we thought -- to cut the Celtics' lead to one.

That's when Ray Allen, Boston's offensive stud of the game, came out of nowhere for a resounding block into the third row of the stands with 49.9 seconds remaining in the game.

The Garden crowd went wild after seeing their team go from defensive meltdown to clutch block. They got even louder when they realized the block resulted in a shot clock violation for the Knicks.

The rest of the game consisted of a missed 3-pointer by McGrady with 27 seconds remaining that could have tied the game, and a free throw by Kevin Garnett to ice it, but it was Allen's swat that stood out as the pivotal moment for Boston.

Key Box Score Line

Kevin Garnett had one of his best overall performances of the season tonight, reminding everyone in Boston that Rajon Rondo isn't the only player that can push triple-double status. Garnett finished just two rebounds and four assists shy of that feat while scoring 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting. His highlight of the game was a thunderous, one-handed slam in the first quarter off of a Rondo alley-oop pass.

Box Score Nuggets

• Both teams scored at least 26 points in each of the first three quarters, but neither surpassed 16 in the fourth.
• Boston's biggest lead was 14, while New York's was one.
• All five Celtics starters scored at least 12 points, led by Ray Allen's 24.
• Rajon Rondo finished the game with 15 points and 16 rebounds.
• In their return to the Garden, Eddie House notched four points, five rebounds and five assists, while Bill Walker recorded seven points, two rebounds and one assist.
• Four Knicks scored at least 18 points, led by David Lee's 28.
• Lee finished the game with 28 points, 15 rebounds and three assists.
• Four Celtics recorded at least five rebounds, while only two Knicks did.
• All 10 Celtics that appeared in the game recorded at least three points, one rebound and one assist.
• No Celtic made more than nine field goals.
• David Lee made 13 field goals, while the most shots any Celtic attempted were the 14 by Ray Allen.
• Boston shot 55.7 percent from the floor and New York shot 52.5 percent.
• The C's scored 60 points in the paint.
• New York, known as a run-and-gun team, scored only four fast break points.
• Boston recorded 34 assists while committing only 13 turnovers.
• Marquis Daniels, replacing the injured and ill Paul Pierce in the starting lineup, scored 14 points.

Quote of the Night

Doc Rivers on the Marquis Daniels' feel for the game: "I mean, he's so good. He scores whatever he scored tonight -- 14 points -- without one play called for him. All were cuts. He just has a knack for knowing when to cut, where to cut. I mean, he had a layup at the end, that one that Ray (Allen) tried to throw that got deflected. He just has great basketball feel and timing."