For Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks, Friday night wasn’t a celebration — it was confirmation. A statement. Another step toward a goal not yet achieved.
But try telling that to the thousands of fans erupting inside Madison Square Garden and flooding the streets outside, dancing and chanting as if a title banner had just been raised.
The Knicks dismantled the defending champion Boston Celtics 119-81 in Game 6, punching their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. It was a night of dominance, euphoria, and reminders that in New York, basketball hope never dies — it just waits.
“I’m new here but just know how much New York loves their sports, especially the Knicks,” said Mikal Bridges, who scored 22 points in the win. “They enjoy it for us right now but obviously we got way more to go.”
Even as fans climbed light poles and celebrities hugged courtside, the Knicks’ locker room remained focused. “It’s a great win. We advance,” said head coach Tom Thibodeau. “You look at that, but you also understand you have to get ready for the next series. The Pacers are a terrific team and we’re going to have to be ready.”
New York will open the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday night at home against the Indiana Pacers — the same team they faced during their last trip in 2000.
A Garden Party 25 Years in the Making
The celebration began well before the final buzzer. With New York up big before halftime, fans inside the Garden stood for nearly every possession. By the third quarter, chants drowned out the PA system.
The Knicks dominated from the outset, going on a 13-3 second-quarter run to blow the game open at 49-27. A chasedown block by Deuce McBride on Derrick White sparked a fast break capped by a Josh Hart and-one — a sequence that seemed to crush any remaining Boston momentum.
New York led 64-37 at halftime, a 27-point lead that matched their largest in any playoff game since the shot-clock era. It evoked memories of Game 7 in the 1970 NBA Finals, when Willis Reed’s dramatic return helped the Knicks secure their first championship.
This time, it was a collective effort. Brunson and OG Anunoby each scored 23 points. Karl-Anthony Towns added 21, and Hart recorded a triple-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists — all while anchoring the Knicks defensively.
Their 38-point margin of victory set a franchise record for the largest in a playoff game.
Boston’s Reign Ends in Silence
For the Celtics, the loss marked the end of a difficult and injury-riddled title defense. Already without
Jayson Tatum — sidelined since Game 4 with a ruptured Achilles — Boston looked deflated.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 20 points, but by the third quarter, head coach Joe Mazzulla had seen enough. With the Knicks up by 41, he pulled his starters and watched the clock wind down on a season filled with championship aspirations.
“We didn’t have the same team this year that we had last year,” said Derrick White. “Every year it’s a different team. We had a goal at the beginning of the year and we fell short.”
Stars Shine On and Off the Court
From Ben Stiller to Lenny Kravitz, celebrity row was electric. The two shared a hug near the final buzzer, as fans from courtside to the nosebleeds roared in unison. The Garden shook. The city breathed basketball.
New York hadn't clinched a playoff series at home since the 1999 Eastern Conference Finals — until now.
With one more step complete, the Knicks remain locked in.
“We’re not done yet,” said Brunson after the game.
No, they’re not. And New York is right there with them.
