Final, Knicks 101-95 That’ll do it.
Kelly Olynyk air-balls a 3-pointer, spoiling the Celtics’ last chance of completing a comeback. Instead, they’re left with their most embarrassing loss of the season — one that breaks the Knicks’ 10-game losing streak.
Next up for Boston is a date with the lowly 76ers on Monday in Philadelphia.
Fourth quarter 0:52, Knicks 98-93: Green gets fouled and hits one of his two free throws. Five-point game.
Fourth quarter 0:56, Knicks 98-92: The C’s aren’t going away. Jeff Green punctuates a 10-2 rally with a thunderous slam, and Shane Larkin travels on the ensuing possession to give the ball back to Boston with less than a minute to play.
Fourth quarter 2:16, Knicks 96-87: Jeff Green drives for a layup and draws a foul, but the Celtics still have a very long way to go in these final two-plus minutes. Green is shooting less than 50 percent from the floor tonight (8-for-18), but he’s 4-for-7 from 3-point land and leads all scorers with 24 points.
Fourth quarter 4:35, Knicks 90-78: Marcus Thornton goes up for a layup, and … the ball gets stuck on the rim. It’s been that kind of night for the Celtics.
Fourth quarter 7:35, Knicks 84-75: After riding his bench for the first four-plus minutes of the quarter, Brad Stevens sends Rajon Rondo, Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger back into the game.
Fourth quarter 9:17, Knicks 84-73: The Celtics cut it to within two with a Marcus Thornton 3-pointer, but the Knicks proceeded to rip off a 9-0 run to regain a comfortable advantage.
Boston has missed four straight shots, including a blown dunk by Brandon Bass.
End third quarter, Knicks 75-69: Kelly Olynyk nailed a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the third, and Jeff Green stoned Carmelo Anthony at the other end, but Brandon Bass’ layup attempt at the buzzer rimmed out. The Knicks will take a six-point lead into the final frame.
New York coach Derek Fisher was hit with a technical foul after time expired, however, giving the C’s a chance to trim that deficit to open the fourth.
Third quarter 2:52, Knicks 71-60: Tyler Zeller is putting together one heck of a night, racking up 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting. It hasn’t helped the C’s much here in the third, however, as the Knicks have been able to extend their lead to double digits.
Third quarter 11:59, Knicks 51-46: We are underway in the second half. The Celtics send their starting five back out, while the Knicks replace Amar’e Stoudemire with Samuel Dalembert and the injured Iman Shumpert with Tim Hardaway Jr.
New York announced that Shumpert suffered a dislocated left shoulder during the second quarter and will not return.
Halftime, Knicks 51-46: Tyler Zeller scored seven points in the final 1:58 of the second quarter, but New York got threes from Pablo Prigioni and Tim Hardaway Jr. to keep its lead at five heading into the locker room.
Second quarter 5:45, Knicks 41-39: A seriously sloppy series of possessions ends with Iman Shumpert down in a heap on the court with what appeared to be a shoulder injury.
Both teams went scoreless for span of more than three minutes shortly before the injury. Jeff Green snapped the Celtics’ drought with a straightaway 3-pointer, and Shumpert got the Knicks back on the board with a 19-footer.
Second quarter 5:45, Knicks 39-36: Bad news for the shorthanded C’s:
Smart played just four minutes before going down, picking up two rebounds and one assist.
Meanwhile, Evan Turner has come on strong here in the second, scoring all seven of his points in the frame.
Second quarter 10:00, 28-28: A Marcus Thornton three pulls the Celtics even, but the C’s might have a problem on their hands. Marcus Smart appeared to tweak the ankle he sprained last month and headed into the locker room with team trainer Ed Lacerte.
End first quarter, Knicks 26-19: The Knicks cooled a bit after their 8-for-10 start, but Carmelo Anthony’s eight points help them maintain a seven-point lead after 12 minutes.
Jeff Green and Tyler Zeller continue to pace the Celtics’ offense, finishing the frame with seven and six points, respectively.
First quarter 5:28, Knicks 18-8: The shots are falling early for the Knicks, who quickly open up a 10-point lead. New York is 8-for-10 from the floor thus far, and sharpshooter Jose Calderon (3-for-4) leads all scorers with seven points.
Jeff Green and Tyler Zeller have shot the ball well for the Celtics (2-for-3 and 2-for-2, respectively), but they’ve been the only C’s players to score through the first six-plus minutes.
First quarter 11:59, 0-0: Aaaand they’re off!
Tyler Zeller wins the opening tip for the Celtics to get things started here on Causeway Street.
As Brad Stevens suggested earlier, Evan Turner is indeed starting in place of the under-the-weather Avery Bradley.
6:50 p.m. ET: The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks each will be without a starter when they square off Friday night at TD Garden.
For Boston, it’s Avery Bradley, who is missing his first game of the season. Head coach Brad Stevens said the guard felt sick Thursday night and was sent home after his fever persisted into Friday.
Stevens did not confirm his starting lineup but said Evan Turner “probably” will get the nod in Bradley’s absence.
The Knicks, meanwhile, will be without J.R. Smith, who’s recovering from a heel injury, but will have the services of leading scorer Carmelo Anthony. Anthony sat out Wednesday’s blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs with a sore left knee.
New York’s loss to the Spurs, who sat four of their starters and still won by 14 points, was its 10th straight and 20th overall in what has been a disastrous Knicks season thus far. They’ll look to get off the schneid against a Celtics team that has lost each of its last two contests after winning three straight.
Here are your projected starting lineups, which are subject to change:
Celtics
Rajon Rondo
Evan Turner
Jeff Green
Jared Sullinger
Tyler Zeller
Knicks
Jose Calderon
Iman Shumpert
Carmelo Anthony
Quincy Acy
Amar’e Stoudemire
Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Follow along with all the action right here, and follow NESN.com Celtics beat writer Zack Cox on Twitter for instant updates and analysis.
Photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
