The Boston Celtics defeated the New York Knicks in a 114-98 win on Monday night at TD Garden.
With the victory, Boston moved to 8-2 while New York dropped to 5-5.
You can check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Even without RJ Barrett, the Knicks brought the game to the Celtics early and established a competitive feel, just like the first matchup between the teams on Opening Night in New York.
Story continues below advertisement
Each side's stars led the way early with Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brunson impacting the game as scorers. New York stayed in rhythm in the second quarter before Boston ended the half on a 9-2 run, capped off by a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Jaylen Brown.
Kristaps Porzingis helped create space to start the second half with a dunk and a three-pointer. The Celtics posted a +9 in the third quarter, capped off by a Jrue Holiday three-pointer to eclipse 15,000 career points for the Boston guard.
Brunson kept the game close in the fourth quarter, but the Celtics' starters turned up the offense to pull away.
When these teams meet, stars have taken over in each of the first two meetings in highly-contested battles between capable Eastern Conference opponents.
Story continues below advertisement
STARS OF THE GAME
-- Tatum shot well from the mid-range, recording 35 points.
-- Brown posted a well-rounded night against New York, finishing with 22 points, five rebounds and six assists.
-- Porzingis remained effective with key three-pointers and a few thunderous dunks in a 21-point performance.
Story continues below advertisement
WAGER WATCH
Holiday entered Monday's contest at +950 to score the first basket, per FanDuel SportsBook. With his opening three-pointer, a $100 wager placed on Holiday would have cashed for $950 for a $1,050 total payout.
No Matchup Found
Click here to enter a different Sportradar ID.
Story continues below advertisement
UP NEXT
The Celtics head back to Philadelphia on Wednesday for a rematch against the 76ers, who earned the hard-fought 106-103 win over the Celtics a week before. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from Wells Fargo Center
Featured image via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
