There was a faint hope that the Boston Celtics, even without All-Star forward Jayson Tatum, could defeat the New York Knicks in Game 6 on Friday at Madison Square Garden and send the Eastern Conference semifinals back home for a Game 7.
But that hope dissipated fairly early in Game 6. The Knicks dominated the second quarter to the tune of a 38-17 advantage and took a 64-37 halftime lead, and just like that, the undertaker was making plans for the Celtics' burial.
Boston big man Kristaps Porzingis was once a member of the Knicks, and he was able to appreciate the hyped atmosphere at the Garden on Friday.
"The support from the Knicks fans was through the roof tonight and all throughout the playoffs," he said. "Unbelievable fans, unbelievable city, and there's a side of me that's very, very happy for them.”
On Friday, the Garden was as crazily busy as ever, and outside the venue, a huge crowd gathered for a watch party as they watched the team advance.
The Knicks took Porzingis, a native of Latvia, with the No. 4 pick in the 2015 draft. Plenty doubted he had what it took to thrive in the NBA, but he did just that early in his career.
He averaged 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocked shots a game as a rookie, and two seasons later, he was named to the All-Star team. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL midway through his third season and was out until the 2019-20 season. In the interim, the Knicks traded him to the Dallas Mavericks.
New York Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis
New York Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis
Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
He was then dealt to Boston ahead of last season and played a key role in the team winning the NBA championship last June. But he has continued to be injury-prone, and over the last several weeks, he has been dealing with a strange illness.
The Knicks are now headed to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Meanwhile, the Celtics are headed toward a very murky immediate future, not just because of Tatum's injury but also because of the contract situation of multiple players.