Barrett Lifts Knicks to Historic Victory over Celtics
R.J. Barret sent Knicks fans home delirious after banking a buzzer beater in the fourth quarter that sent the Knicks to a thrilling 108-105 victory over the Boston Celtics last night at the Garden.
RJ BARRETT CALLS GAME AFTER KNICKS COMEBACK 😱🔥 pic.twitter.com/y5bZOzHk2U
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 7, 2022
The shot was only a snippet of emotion of what Knicks fans went through earlier in the night as New York trailed by as much as 24-points in the second quarter before an 8-0 closed out the first half with the Knicks trailing 63-47.
The Knicks WERE 1-229 when trailing by 25+ points in a game over the last 25 seasons (came back from a 26-point deficit against the Bucks on March 14, 2004). pic.twitter.com/1531oL1AJ3
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 7, 2022
Things really didn’t start turning for the Knicks until Immanuel Quickley nailed a 26-foot, three-pointer that cut the Celtics lead down to 12, 82-70 with 2:37 to go in the third quarter. Quickley would come back a minute later to nail a driving layup and a foul shot that cut the deficit to single digits.
Quickley’s late third quarter spark lifted the Knicks to greater heights come the fourth quarter. He hit another huge three with 10:47 to go in regulation that widdled the Celtics lead down to just two points, 84-82.
After Marcus Smart answered with a three of his own for Boston, Evan Fournier hit a step-back three-pointer that brought the Knicks back to within two-points, 87-85.
Fournier had a huge fourth quarter. Of the 41 points that he had on the night for New York, 13 of them came in the fourth quarter. None were bigger than the 22-foot jump shot that he hit to tie the game at 96 with 4:04 to go, and the three-pointer that he drilled some two minutes later that gave the Knicks a 99-98 lead.
Evan. Walking bucket. pic.twitter.com/YPh5WwWhlb
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 7, 2022
That all set the stage for the dramatic finish as the Knicks and Celtics went back and fourth until Barrett got his hands on the basketball in the final seconds and drilled the game winner.
The Knicks (19-20) will visit the Celtics tomorrow night in Boston.
