Tom Thibodeau credited the Knicks' team defense and length on the wings for limiting Jayson Tatum's impact in their Game 2 win over the Celtics.
The New York Knicks stunned the Boston Celtics again on Wednesday, securing a dramatic 91-90 win in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead on the road.
| Player of the Game | |
|
EFF
29
|
| Karl-Anthony Towns | |
| Points | 21 |
| Accuracy | 9-16 |
| Rebounds | 17 |
| Assists | 1 |
Interestingly, all the lower-seeded teams won Game 1 of the Conference Semifinals, while New York and Indiana even got Game 2 victories.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau believes the concept of home-court advantage is transforming.
"It seems like it's changing," Thibodeau said after Game 2 win. "Just the way the game goes now, you can make up ground a lot quicker with the way teams shoot threes. For the writers who are around us, they always think every lead is safe, but it's not, so everything does matter."
One of the key moments in Game 2 came in the final seconds when Mikal Bridges forced a crucial turnover from Jayson Tatum to seal the win.
The Knicks managed to contain Tatum over the first two matches, limiting him to 13 points (5-19 FG) in Game 2, and 23 points (7-23 FG) with five turnovers in Game 1.
Thibodeau credited the team defense for keeping Tatum in check.
"There was good team defense. Tatum is so tough when he gets speed and he's going downhill, so you need bodies in front of him," Thibodeau said. "Then, the pursuit from behind is also important, but I thought in the 4th quarter, our defense was outstanding. That's what we need to do for the entire game."
The 67-year-old coach also emphasized the importance of having length on the wings to stop players like Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
New York will look to extend its series lead on Saturday when the matchup shifts to Madison Square Garden.
