Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks stand between the Boston Celtics and the East’s 2nd seed
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Jalen Brunson is the New York Knicks' leading scorer with 26 points per game in the NBA.
PHOTO: AFP
NEW YORK – The Boston Celtics can clinch the No. 2 seed for the National Basketball Association (NBA) Eastern Conference play-offs when they visit the New York Knicks on April 9 (April 10 morning, Singapore time).
Boston (54-25) will secure the No. 2 seed with one more victory or any New York (51-28) loss. The Knicks can finish as high as second but are also battling with the Cleveland Cavaliers (51-29) to see who will finish as the third and fourth seeds.
The April 9 game will also mark the first time Jayson Tatum has played in New York since he ruptured his Achilles tendon in a road play-off game against the Knicks last season.
“Yeah, I’ve thought about it,” the 28-year-old said, after he scored 23 points in the win over the Charlotte Hornets on April 7. “I’m not thrilled to go back and play there. Last time I played there, obviously, it was a traumatic experience for me.”
Tatum is averaging 21.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 15 games this season since he returned from his Achilles injury. Boston have a 13-2 record in those 15 contests.
The Celtics are scheduled to face the New Orleans Pelicans at home on April 10. Tatum has not suited up for a back-to-back this season, but following the April 7 win, Tatum confirmed that he planned to play on April 9 against New York.
“Obviously, I knew at some point I would have to get over that hurdle and play there (Madison Square Garden) again,” he said. “I decided to come back and play, so I’m not necessarily skipping certain games. I can’t play back-to-backs right now, but I decided to come back and play, so it’s just another game on the schedule.”
New York are coming off the 108-105 victory at the Atlanta Hawks on April 6, which stretched the team’s winning streak to three games. The Knicks have won five in a row at home.
Jalen Brunson is New York’s leading scorer (26 points per game). Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. Brunson tossed in 30 points against Atlanta, when Towns had 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
“It’s huge to know a guy like Jalen can shoot and score the way he does,” New York coach Mike Brown said, following the April 6 game. “On top of that, he’s crafty. He’s crafty with the ball, crafty without the ball.
“Having KAT (Towns) as a passer (makes it tougher on the opponent). On top of that, KAT’s a great shooter. So, you put those two guys in space in a two-man game, and teams gotta make decisions. Both those guys came through.”
The Celtics have won four in a row and seven of their last eight.
“Just ramping up at the right time,” Tatum said. “Knowing that post-All-Star break is pivotal for teams really trying to compete for a championship. And you want to be physically feeling your best as a unit, playing well together, clicking on all cylinders. And this year is no different.
“We’ve been playing extremely well going into the play-offs up to this point, and knowing that we’ve got a few games left to feel really good about ourselves and then find out who we’re going to play.”
In NBA action on April 8, the Oklahoma City Thunder secured the Western Conference top seed and best record in the league with a 128-110 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. With a seventh straight triumph, they improved to 64-16 with two games left in the regular season.
Oklahoma City snagged the West’s top seed for the third year running, and with the best overall record, they will have home court advantage throughout the play-offs.
The NBA defending champions’ win means the surging San Antonio Spurs (61-19) are locked into the second seed in the West.
San Antonio cruised past the Portland Trail Blazers 112-101, despite the absence of superstar Victor Wembanyama – who sat out with a bruised rib – and Stephon Castle.
The Denver Nuggets (52-28) tightened their grip on third place in the West, beating the Memphis Grizzlies 136-119 behind a triple-double of 14 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists from Nikola Jokic.
Eastern Conference top seeds Detroit Pistons welcomed star guard Cade Cunningham back to action with a 137-111 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points, Evan Mobley added 22 points and 19 rebounds and James Harden chipped in 21 points, as the Cavaliers held off the Atlanta Hawks 122-116, denting the Hawks’ bid to clinch a play-off berth. REUTERS, AFP
