Game 39: Celtics @ Knicks ( Thu 1/6/22' @ 7:30PM on NBCSB)

This team is JINXED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ummmmmm.... where is JB?

Rumor: JB will star in the remake of the old "Topper" TV series.... coming soon!!!

Google it amigos if you aren't old enough to know about such things.

Pud

The Celtics added a new low to their rollercoaster season on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, as RJ Barrett hit a game-winning 3 at the buzzer to give the Knicks a 108-105 victory.

Boston led by as many as 25 points in the second quarter but the Knicks quickly erased much of that deficit in the second half with a 21-3 run behind the red-hot shooting of Evan Fournier (41 points) against his former team. Julius Randle (22 second half points) also came alive after intermission to turn a blowout into a nip-and-tuck affair down the stretch.

Jayson Tatum had one of his best all-around performances of the year with 36 points and nine assists but got little help from his teammates, specifically in the second half as Boston’s offense dried up yet again with just 42 points. Robert Williams had a commanding presence defensively with seven blocks but Boston’s wings struggled mightily to contain the Knicks shooters in the second half as the hosts got red-hot from 3-point range, leading to Barrett’s game-winner.

Here are four takeaways from the second straight loss for Boston:

Jaylen Brown continues to dominate first quarters but disappeared afterwards: The All-Star wing has scored in double digits during the opening frame for three consecutive contests after posting 12 quick points against New York at Madison Square Garden. Efficiency remains a strength for Brown as he put up the impressive total which jumpstarted Boston to an early lead on just seven shot attempts in also grabbed a team-high five rebounds n the frame. Brown is knocking down shots with ease from inside the arc and long distance over the past week, which is leaving opposing defenders with no good options in how to handle the athletic forward. Ime Udoka has seemed to make it more of a priority to get Brown involved early in games with his strong first quarter track record and it paid off in this one. However, the shooting guard failed to make much of an impact over the final three quarters, mustering just four points in the final three frames.

Enes Freedom gets back into the rotation against a sizable Knicks frontcourt with mixed results: The big man received a DNP-CD in his first game out of NBA health and safety protocols against the Spurs on Wednesday night. However, Udoka leaned heavily on the veteran center against the Knicks bigger front line in this one, opting to go with two bigs on the court for much of the contest. Freedom was part of a big 23-8 second quarter run as a screen setter and rebounder but that success dissipated in the third quarter as the Knicks involved him in pick-and-rolls that opened the door for wide open 3s for their shooters on multiple possessions. Freedom’s minutes also came at the expense of Romeo Langford opportunity as Udoka leaned heavily on all the veterans on his roster, with Langford and Aaron Nesmith receiving DNP-CDs for the first time in the same game all year.

Jayson Tatum lets the game come to him but doesn’t get any help from Boston’s supporting cast: On the heels of a dreadful performance against the Spurs, Tatum came out of the gate looking to set up his teammates rather than himself. He dished out three assists in the first quarter alone while taking just one shot, setting the stage for a very efficient night for Boston’s top scorer. He scored 23 points through the opening three quarters, including 13 in the second quarter alone. However, as the double teams piled up in the fourth quarter, he was not able to get enough help from his supporting cast to make the Knicks pay for their double teams.

Boston becomes unglued in the second half largely thanks to Evan Fournier: This had the makings of an easy win for Boston as they pushed up the lead to as many as 25 points in the second quarter with their red-hot shooting and disciplined defense. However, tired legs and a lack of attention to detail in the second half allowed the Knicks to deliver a mighty counter punch. They opened the second half with a 14-0 run and after the Celtics fought back, delivered a 21-3 outburst in the opening stages of the fourth quarter just as Boston’s perimeter shooting dried up and the team’s turnovers returned. Evan Fournier led the way with his third 30th point performance against the year, opening the door to another dramatic loss for Boston in crunch time.