The New York Knicks are returning to the scene of one of their most famous recent robberies.
New York is shipping up to Boston on Tuesday night, set to face the Boston Celtics for the second time this season. It’ll mark the Knicks’ first visit to TD Garden since last year’s NBA Playoffs, which saw New York stage two improbable comebacks capped off by Mikal Bridges’ defensive mastery in the opening stanzas of the conference semifinals.
The Knicks enter Tuesday’s divisional duel with a four-game winning streak, the second-longest active tally in the Association behind the dozen acquired by defending champion Oklahoma City. The latest entry to that collection was a 116-94 decision over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday evening at Madison Square Garden, giving the Knicks their 10th win in 11 such showings this season. Karl-Anthony Towns put up 22 points while Jalen Brunson had 18 in the cherry on top to his Player of the Week sundae.
Though still wallowing in the Play-In portions of the premature Eastern playoff picture, the Jayson Tatum-less Celtics have recovered nicely from a 5-7 start, winning six of their most recent eight. Boston likewise won on Sunday, surviving a comeback in Cleveland to the tune of a 117-115 final. Payton Pritchard scored 42 points while Jordan Walsh set career-highs with a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double.
The Knicks, of course, won last year’s postseason get-together 4-2 to secure their first visit to the NBA’s final four since 2000. New York kept their prowess against Boston going in their first bout on Oct. 24, a 105-95 win in the 2025-26 MSG opener. Brunson tallied 31 points while Towns paired 26 tallies with 13 rebounds. The teams’ next battle after Tuesday will land on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 8, in another TD Garden party.
What: New York Knicks (13-6) @ Boston Celtics (11-9)
Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
When: Tuesday, 8 p.m., NBC
Who’s Favored: NYK -1.5
Keep An Eye On: Mitchell Robinson
It’s personal and business for Robinson, whose abbreviated 2024-25 season hit a turning point during the postseason bout in Boston: Robinson re-established his value in the main New York lineup during the six-game set but the Celtics kept themselves in the series with the “Bewitch-a-Mitch” tactic that routinely sent Robinson to the dreaded foul line.
Robinson began this year in the Knicks’ starting five but has since taken a sizable role in the second unit, literally and figuratively. With Boston struggling in the board battle (especially with starting breakout Neemias Queta missing some recent action), there’s another chance for Robinson to prove his worth on a national stage. But old habits die hard and it’d hardly be surprising to see the Celtics resort to a familiar strategy to stifle his momentum.
Celtic to Watch: Jordan Walsh
With Tatum out and his season status often depending on who you ask, the Celtics have had several reserve heroes step up next to retained headliners Jaylen Brown and Derrick White. The Knicks are already well-versed in the work of Pritchard and Sam Hauser while Queta is another former backup that has risen to the occasion.
That listing also includes Walsh, a third-year man that has taken advantage of an extended opportunity. He has garnered notable praise for his physicality and defensive work, which has allowed the depleted Celtics to keep pace with the middle of the Eastern pack. If Walsh can turn himself into even a discount version of what OG Anunoby is to the Knicks (when healthy, of course), Boston can confidently move into the future upon Tatum’s return.
They Said It
“We’re holding each other more accountable. We’re paying attention to detail a little more, we can still do better at that. I think the little things matter more than people think. If we keep believing that and keep doing that, then we’ll keep winning games. Playing in this league, there’s so much talent around the league, the little things can make or break wins and losses. We have to continue to do all that little stuff.”—Jalen Brunson (h/t Antonio Losada, Posting and Toasting)
“Jordan has the body type to do it. He’s athletic … he got a 6-7 frame, long arms and I’ve seen him in practice be, defensively, very active. Those 6-7 wings, they give trouble to smaller guards, the Brunsons, the [Tyrese] Maxeys, putting a bigger body on them. We have a lot of small guards on our team, so we have to bring that level of physicality.”—Jaylen Brown on Walsh (h/t Bobby Manning, Boston Sports Journal)
Prediction
It’s clear that the Celtics aren’t as bad as some felt they would be after Tatum’s injury injury left them scrambling and dealing. Having seen Tatum go down personally, the more mature Knick fans could almost respect what they’ve accomplished so far if not for the lasting lack of pleasantries between Manhattan and New England. But the Knicks are finally in the desirable spot where they can dish out healthy doses of reality, a role that Boston has played to them far too often in recent showings. Boston will keep things interesting, as things tend to be in a rivalry showcase, but expect the Knicks to find some sort of traction on the road.
