Celtics Collapse Again, Fall to Knicks 90-91, Trail 0-2 Amid Historic Meltdown

The defending champion Boston Celtics find themselves on the brink of elimination after a stunning 90-91 home loss to the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Boston has now dropped both of their home games to open the series and made unwanted history in the process.

Back-to-Back 20-Point Meltdowns

In an unprecedented collapse, the Celtics became the first team in NBA playoff history to blow 20-point leads in back-to-back games.

• In Game 1, the Celtics led by as many as 20 before losing in overtime when Jaylen Brown was stripped by Mikal Bridges in the final seconds.

• In Game 2, Boston once again built a 20-point advantage at home, only to squander it. This time, Jayson Tatum turned the ball over to Bridges on a potential game-winning possession in the closing seconds.

As a result, the Celtics head to New York trailing 0-2 in the series and staring down a daunting path.

Brutal Three-Point Shooting

Boston’s heavy reliance on the three-point shot has backfired dramatically:

• In Game 1, the Celtics went 15-of-60 from beyond the arc, setting an NBA playoff record for most missed threes in a game (45).

• In Game 2, they shot 10-of-40 from deep, missing another 30 three-pointers.

Across the two games, Boston is 25-of-100 from three (25%), with 75 total misses — a new NBA postseason record for most missed threes across two games.

Tatum’s Disastrous Series Start

Jayson Tatum, Boston’s franchise star, has struggled badly in this series:

• Game 1: 23 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, on 7-of-23 shooting (4-of-15 from three)

• Game 2: 13 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, but just 5-of-19 shooting, including the costly turnover in the final seconds.

In total, Tatum is 12-of-42 from the field (28.6%) through the first two games.

The Odds Are Against Them

NBA history isn’t on Boston’s side. Since the league adopted the 7-game series format, teams that take a 2-0 lead on the road have gone on to win the series 85.7% of the time (30-of-35).

With the series shifting to Madison Square Garden and the defending champs reeling, the Celtics’ title defense is hanging by a thread.