The Knicks Choked in Game 3 Against Boston: What Happened Saturday Night?
The New York Knicks had one job on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden: protect home court and take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Instead, they folded—and every frustrated Knicks fan saw it coming.
Boston didn’t just win Game 3—they stole it. And the Knicks let them.
No Energy, No Urgency, No Fight
Where was the fire? Where was the intensity that we saw in Game 2 at TD Garden?
From the opening tip, the Celtics played like a team on a mission. Jayson Tatum finally woke up and dropped 22 points. Jaylen Brown bullied his way into the paint at will. Meanwhile, the Knicks looked flat. Slow on rotations. Lazy on defense. Sloppy with the ball.
Final Score: Celtics 115, Knicks 93. And it wasn’t even that close.
Same Old Story: Stars Disappear, Bench Can’t Bail Them Out
Let’s talk about Big Kat. Again. This was supposed to be his redemption playoff run. But in a pivotal Game 3, he laid another egg—shooting just 5-of-18 from the field with careless turnovers and no defensive impact.
And where was Jalen Brunson when the Knicks needed a leader? He scored 21, but it was a quiet, ineffective 21. Not the clutch captain performance MSG was begging for.
Even the reliable Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges looked gassed. The Celtics didn’t just outplay us—they outworked us.
Coaching? Game Plan? What Game Plan?
Look, Tom Thibodeau deserves credit for getting this far. But when Boston adjusted, we didn’t. Again.
- No answers for Boston’s zone looks.
- No offensive creativity when Brunson gets doubled.
- No sense of urgency when the lead slipped in the third quarter.
This team plays with pride. But Saturday? It looked like they were happy to just be here. And that’s unacceptable in May basketball.
Is the Series Slipping Away?
Now the Knicks trail 2-1, with another home game coming Monday. And let’s be real—Game 4 is do-or-die. Lose that, and this series is over in five. Boston will finish it at home. The Knicks will be heading back to the offseason with more questions than answers.
What makes this so frustrating is that we’ve seen this movie before. The Knicks punch above their weight in Game 2… and then fall apart when it counts. Fans deserve better than moral victories and postgame quotes about “effort.”
A Message to the Knicks
This is New York. This is the Garden. This city bleeds basketball and does not accept quit. Show some damn heart in Game 4.
- Fight over screens.
- Dive for loose balls.
- Run your offense with purpose.
- And for the love of John Starks—make your free throws.
Saturday night was embarrassing. Monday night better not be.
Final Word: Fix It or Go Home
The Knicks blew it in Game 3. But the series isn’t over—yet. If this team truly believes they belong in the Eastern Conference Finals, they’ll come out swinging in Game 4.
Because if not? Pack it up. We’ve seen this collapse before, and we’re tired of it.
