Jalen Brunson led New York with 40 points, his third 40-point game with a chance to clinch a playoff series with the Knicks, breaking a tie with Bernard King for the most in team history, according to ESPN Research. Brunson hit a 3-pointer with 5.3 seconds left to clinch the victory.

Expect Boston to target Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns often in the 1st Celtics-Knicks playoff showdown since 2013.

In the first matchup, the No. 3 seed New York Knicks defeated the No. 6 seed Detroit Pistons by the final score of 116-113. The Knicks clinched a six-game series victory with the win, advancing to the second round of the playoffs for a third straight year.