The New York Knicks look to recover from their 127-107 Game 5 loss to the Boston Celtics when they return home to Madison Square Garden in Manhattan for Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals this Friday, May 16, at 8:00 P.M. ET.
In Game 4, the Knicks secured a 121-113 win. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum scored 42 points before suffering a ruptured Achilles at the end of the game—an injury that stunned both Boston fans and the team.
Despite missing Tatum, the Celtics dominated Game 5 with sharp shooting. Boston went 22-for-47 from three-point range, a key strength for them all season. Derrick White led the charge with 34 points, while Jaylen Brown added 26 points and 12 assists, fueling the Celtics’ offense.
The Knicks struggled offensively, shooting just 29-for-81 from the field and 12-for-30 from three-point range. Mikal Bridges played a team-high 40 minutes but managed only 9 points, shooting 4-for-14. For the Knicks to advance, Bridges must deliver more offensively. Jalen Brunson contributed 22 points, but it was Josh Hart—bloodied from an elbow to the face—who led the team with 24 points.
To close out the series in Game 6 at MSG, the Knicks need to tighten up defensively and shoot more efficiently. Boston’s 47% success rate from beyond the arc in Game 5 went largely uncontested. During the regular season, the Celtics won every game in which they shot over 45% from deep.
With the energy of the Madison Square Garden crowd behind them, this is the Knicks’ best shot to advance. But if Game 5’s performance repeats, this series could stretch to seven games—putting the Knicks’ first NBA Finals appearance in over 25 years at serious risk.