The New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder delivered headline-grabbing performances in their respective NBA playoff series on Wednesday.
At Madison Square Garden, the Knicks once again pulled off a sensational comeback, erasing a 20-point deficit to edge out the Boston Celtics 91-90 and seize a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Mikal Bridges emerged as the unlikely hero for a second straight game, scoring all 14 of his points in the fourth quarter and sealing the win with another game-clinching steal.
Jalen Brunson contributed 17 points, including two critical free throws with 12.7 seconds left to give the Knicks a one-point lead. With the game on the line, Boston’s Jayson Tatum attempted to drive for the go-ahead basket, but Bridges intervened, swatting the ball away and securing possession for New York.
Josh Hart led the Knicks with 23 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns added a powerful double-double of 21 points and 17 rebounds. The Celtics, plagued by poor shooting from deep, went just 10-for-40 from beyond the arc, continuing their struggles after a dismal 15-for-60 showing in Game 1. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White each scored 20 points in the losing effort.
The Knicks will look to extend their lead when they host Game 3 on Saturday.
Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder unleashed a historic offensive assault against the Denver Nuggets, cruising to a 149-106 victory in Game 2. The Thunder set an NBA playoff record with 87 first-half points, eclipsing the previous mark of 86 set by the Cavaliers in the 2017 Finals.
Chet Holmgren, redeeming himself after missing crucial free throws in Game 1, hit a pair from the line with one second left in the first half to cap off the record-breaking performance. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led OKC with 18 points, and all five Thunder starters reached double figures before halftime.
The Thunder shot a blistering 58.8% from the field and went 17-of-18 from the free throw line in the first half, establishing a commanding 87-56 lead by the break. The 87-point outburst also tied the NBA record for most points in any half of a playoff game, equalling the Milwaukee Bucks’ second-half total from 1978 against the Nuggets.
With the series now tied 1-1, the Thunder and Nuggets head to Denver for Game 3 with momentum swinging decisively in Oklahoma City’s favour.
