The Boston Celtics edged the New York Knicks 107-103 on Friday night, October 23, 2026, at TD Garden in Boston. Jayson Tatum scored 36 points, 25 of them in the second half and seven of Boston's last eight, to help the Celtics edge a late comeback by the defending NBA champion Knicks. The Knicks became the first defending champion team to start 0-2 to begin a season in 15 years.
The game was a redemption for Tatum and Boston. The Celtics had lost their season opener to Detroit on Tuesday night 121-113 after blowing a 22-point lead in the second half, and Tatum was just 6-for-23 shooting in that game.
For New York, he had a 14-for-26 shooting with nine rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. This was his highest-scoring game since the 2024-25 season when he had missed most of the previous season due to an Achilles rupture.
"I thought it was a good overall game," Mazzulla commented after the game. "It was a well-rounded game for Tatum, where you saw the greatness."
New York had a 27-26 lead at the end of the first quarter, while the second quarter was a disaster for both teams. George scored a corner three for his home debut for the Celtics at the buzzer, giving his team a 50-49 lead at halftime. Queta made 15 points, being the only Celtics player who tried for a free throw through the majority of the first half.
In the third quarter, Boston dominated winning 33-24 with the help of George's 16 points and went ahead by 10 points before the last quarter. Their lead got to 12 three times during the final period.
The Knicks did not roll over. Karl-Anthony Towns and Landry Shamet sparked an 9-0 run that trimmed the deficit to 94-91 with four minutes remaining, while the Knicks later pulled within 99-98. Tatum then took control:
- 1:24 remaining: A difficult baseline turnaround jumper.
- Next possession: A contested 18-footer that made it 103-98 after the Knicks turned the ball over.
- Final minute: A three-pointer that gave the Celtics a two-possession lead before Miles McBride answered with a deep shot to make it 106-103.
- Payton Pritchard sank one out of two free throws to make it 107-103, while the Knicks did not score any further.
Karl-Anthony Towns topped the Knicks with his 22 points and 10 rebounds, with 9-of-13 field goals. OG Anunoby was the leading scorer for Boston with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. McBride recorded 20 points with six three-point shots.
Jalen Brunson recorded 19 points with 7-of-17 field goals. The Knicks made more turnovers compared to the Celtics, and the Celtics capitalized on their mistakes.
The box scores reflect how tight the game was:
- Field Goals: Celtics – 40-of-87, Knicks – 36-of-80.
- Three-point shots: Celtics – 15-of-39, Knicks – 16-of-40.
- Free Throws: Knicks – 15-of-21, Celtics – 12-of-16.
- Points off the Bench: Celtics – 35, Knicks – 32.
- Time Leading: Boston was in the lead for more than 36 minutes, while New York held the lead only for about nine minutes.
- 19,156 fans came to the game.
The game was a good reaction for the Celtics after the loss in Detroit and showed that Tatum is in top shape again. Bringing in George and having a productive center player gave the Celtics more variety of options compared to the first game.
For New York, the 0-2 start does not threaten their season, but it is quite uncommon for the champions of last year. The Knicks lost both games only by narrow margins, and they look tired and careless, especially in terms of turnovers.
The Knicks will face the Orlando Magic at home on Sunday, October 25, and the Detroit Pistons on October 27 at Madison Square Garden. The team is scheduled to play against Chicago on October 28 and Philadelphia on October 30. These two teams will meet each other again in the course of the regular season, with the Knicks planning revenge for this defeat.
