The Boston Celtics secured a convincing 115-93 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. After dropping the first two games at home, Boston stormed into Madison Square Garden and delivered a performance that reasserted their championship credentials. The Celtics’ offense was firing on all cylinders, connecting on 20 of 40 three-point attempts, while their defense stifled the Knicks, holding them to just 5 of 25 from beyond the arc.
Payton Pritchard led the charge with 23 points off the bench, including five three-pointers, while Jayson Tatum contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White also added 19 and 17 points, respectively.
Despite this resurgence, the Celtics have been navigating the playoffs without one of their key rotation players. Sam Hauser, known for his sharpshooting, has been sidelined since sustaining a right ankle sprain in Game 1.
The injury has kept him out of both Games 2 and 3, and his status for Game 4 remains uncertain, as he is officially listed as questionable. However, it is notable that he was doubtful last game before being ruled out, so this is an upgraded status.
