Offensively, New York has had a balanced attack, while the Celtics have watched Jayson Tatum throw up brick after brick. He shot 7-of-23 from the field in Game 1, and if that wasn't bad enough, he went 5-of-19 in Game 2.

BOSTON — It’s easy to watch Jalen Brunson with the ball in his hands late in the game, in the moments that have earned him the NBA Clutch Player of the Year Award, and assume it is some magical quality, something that has appeared out of nowhere.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau won a title with as an assistant the Celtics in 2008. It helped launch his head coaching career.