Knicks Lose in a Shootout to the Celtics

By Daniel Feuerstein | Boston, MA | October 23rd, 2026

The New York Knicks traveled up I-95 for their first road game of the season to take on the Boston Celtics. They went to face their former long-tenured Knicks, Mitchell Robinson, who signed an eight-year deal in free agency. Not only did they see him, but they gave him his championship ring after their season and home opener on Tuesday night. This game was a battle from end to end on the floor, as both sides were dealing buckets and draining threes, but at the end of the game, it was the Celtics who edged the Knicks as they took the victory with a final score of 107 – 103

It was a tough start for the Knicks, and while they were able to come back and tried to find a way to keep the lead, the turnovers made it hard to see the Knicks hand the Celtics some easy buckets and put points on the board. While the Knicks are trying, they continue to look a bit sluggish, and there is a possibility of a championship hangover. They still found a way to claw back and tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but once again the Celtics took advantage of what was in front of them. Jason Tatum led all scorers with 36 points, while both Karl-Anthony Towns and O.G.Anunoby each had a double-double. Towns led the Knicks with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Anunoby had 20 points and 10 rebounds.

First Half: Celtics took the early lead, then the Knicks came back till the last shot

While the Knicks won the opening tip on a scramble, the Celtics got the first points of the game and started to buzz the three-point line, draining threes early and often. While the Knicks did come back into the game, it became a shootout with multiple lead changes. Anunoby found himself more engaged in this game than in the home opener against the Sixers. But the Knicks had a lead going into the end of the first half until a buzzer-beating three put the Celtics ahead by a point.

Second Half: Another poor third quarter, another fight back, but not enough

Once again, the Knicks had another poor third quarter to start the second half, but when the fourth quarter came, they came back and took advantage of the Celtics going 0-for-9 from the field. They were able to tie the game at 99 all, until Tatum hit a few threes and pulled away. While the Knicks still had some breathing room to make a comeback and possibly force overtime, Jalen Brunson failed to hit two free throws, and the Knicks are 0-2 to start the season as they lost by four.

KEY STATS:

NEW YORK: 36 FOR 80 FG’S, 16 FOR 40 3PTS, 15 FOR 21 FT
BOSTON: 40 FOR 87 FG’S, 15 FOR 39 3PTS, 12 FOR 16 FT’S
LARGEST LEAD: CELTICS BY 12 IN THE THIRD QUARTER
MOST POINTS: CELTICS WITH 33 POINTS IN THE THIRD QUARTER

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