BOSTON, Mass. — Jayson Tatum took over after halftime Friday night, scoring 25 of his game-high 36 after the break as the Boston Celtics turned back the defending NBA champion New York Knicks 107-103.
Tatum was responsible for seven of Boston’s last eight points. With New York within 99-98, he buried a pull-up jumper from about 19 feet with 1:11 to go, and after OG Anunoby made two free throws to keep the Knicks close, Tatum answered with a 3-pointer from the wing to put it away. Payton Pritchard iced it at the line in the final seconds of the Celtics home opener.
Tatum shot 14 of 26 from the floor and also led Boston with nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals while turning it over only twice, a sharp rebound from a 13-point night in the season opener at Detroit. The Knicks hurt themselves with 18 turnovers to Boston’s 11, and Queta blocked three shots, one more than New York’s entire roster.
Paul George and Neemias Queta each scored 15 for Boston, which evened its record at 1-1. The Celtics broke open a back-and-forth game with a 33-24 third quarter, turning a one-point halftime edge into a 10-point cushion. The game had a dozen lead changes.
Boston led by as many as 12 at 91-79 before New York rallied with a 12-3 burst capped by a Karl-Anthony Towns putback dunk. Josh Hart’s 3 later made it a three-point game.
Towns paced five Knicks in double figures with 22 points. Anunoby came within two assists of a triple-double, Deuce McBride also scored 20 and Jalen Brunson had 19. New York is 0-2 after dropping its opener to Philadelphia.
Center Mitchell Robinson, facing the Knicks for the first time after helping them win last season’s title, battled foul trouble but blocked a Towns layup in the fourth quarter. The Knicks host Orlando on Sunday, and the Celtics welcome Chicago on Monday.
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