Knicks Dethrone Celtics to Reach Eastern Conference Finals After 25 Years

NEW YORK – The New York Knicks reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in a quarter-century, decisively ending the Boston Celtics’ brief reign as NBA champions with an impressive 119-81 victory in Game 6 on Friday night. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby each contributed 23 points for the Knicks. They now prepare to battle the Indiana Pacers, the same foe they confronted during their last conference finals appearance in 2000. Tip-off for Game 1 is slated for Wednesday night in New York.

The Knicks hadn’t secured a playoff series victory on their home court since the 1999 Eastern finals. This made the celebrations begin early during a dominant first half at Madison Square Garden and likely continued throughout the night around the venue.

Mikal Bridges added 22 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns pitched in 21 to contribute to the Knicks’ 38-point blowout—their largest winning margin in a playoff contest.

For the Celtics, Jaylen Brown managed to score 20 points before fouling out. Despite losing their top scorer, Jayson Tatum, to a ruptured Achilles tendon in Game 4, Boston remained hopeful they could extend the series back to their home court for a decisive Game 7.

Boston held a lead of at least 14 points in all previous matches, but this time, the Knicks jumped out quickly and maintained their momentum. This forced Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla to start pulling his starters in the third quarter after the deficit ballooned to 41 points. The Knicks initiated the second quarter with a seven-point streak, blowing the game wide open with a spectacular chase-down block by Deuce McBride.

Celebrities like Ben Stiller and Lenny Kravitz were spotted sharing celebratory moments with fans. With a 64-37 halftime lead, the Knicks tied their largest playoff lead in the shot-clock era. Although the Knicks previously struggled against top-tier teams, they managed to turn the tide against the Celtics.

Josh Hart rounded out the performance with a triple-double, contributing 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. The Celtics’ 38-point loss set a record as the largest margin of defeat for a reigning champion facing elimination in NBA playoff history.