With elimination staring them in the face, the Boston Celtics will return to TD Garden on Thursday aiming to keep their season alive against high-flying New York Knicks.
One win away from a first conference finals since 2000, the Knicks have been superb all playoffs and now set out to put the final nail in the coffin of the reigning champions.
Match preview
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The Celtics left themselves with a mountain to climb after the opening two games of their Eastern Conference semi-finals with the Knicks as they headed to New York down 2-0 and in need of a huge boost to get back on track.
Normal service resumed for Joe Mazzulla's men in Game Three, where they romped to a 115-93 victory, handing them the opportunity to level the series at two wins apiece in Tuesday's Game Four at Madison Square Garden.
Guilty of throwing away sizeable leads en route to their first two defeats in the series, the Celtics were usurped from a commanding position once again having led by as many 14 three minutes into the second half before eventually falling to a 121-113 defeat.
As if the Celtics did not have an already difficult enough task of trying to haul back a 3-1 series deficit, they lost Jayson Tatum to an injury late in the fourth quarter and will now attempt a seemingly impossible comeback without their best player.
However, Thursday's hosts have the experience of fighting back from 3-0 down to level a playoff series back in the 2023 postseason against the Miami Heat, and they will need to channel a similar resolve to keep their title defence alive.
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Just under seven months on since they kicked off their campaign against the Celtics, the Knicks have erased any doubts that may have arisen in the aftermath of that 132-109 defeat back on October 23.
Despite winning 50+ games during the regular season, Tom Thibodeau's men were not fancied by many to enjoy a deep run into the postseason after their first-round triumph over the Detroit Pistons in six matches.
The Knicks lost all four of their regular-season matchups against the Celtics, and anyone would have been forgiven for expecting that trend to continue in the playoffs, but the team from New York have defied the odds to sit 3-1 up, on the brink of sending the Boston side home.
Tuesday's 121-113 triumph was arguably the Knicks' most impressive of the series so far, with four of their five starters combining for a whopping 105 points, led by Jalen Brunson's 39-point, 12-assist double-double.
From a Knicks perspective, Thursday's upcoming clash against the Celtics could not have come at a better time, and the visitors will be eager to ride their ongoing momentum to a series-clinching victory in Boston.
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Team News
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Twenty-seven-year-old Sam Hauser is set to miss out for the Boston Celtics with an ankle issue which has seen him sit out each of the hosts' last three games.
Jayson Tatum is set for a fairly lengthy spell on the sidelines, although the full extent of his lower-leg injury will not be discovered until an MRI is conducted later today.
Tatum's absence should see Kristaps Porzingis reinstated into the starting lineup, although the Latvian has not enjoyed the best of performances of late.
OG Anunoby shook off a hamstring injury scare early on to last the full course of Tuesday's win, and the forward is expected to suit up for the Knicks once again.
Off the back of yet another impressive outing, Jalen Brunson now has the most 35-point games in the playoffs over the last three seasons and is one to keep an eye on.
Boston Celtics possible starting five:
Holiday, White; Brown, Porzingis; Horford
New York Knicks possible starting five:
Brunson, Hart; Bridges, Anunoby; Towns
We say: Knicks to win by 6+ points
The Celtics are in the last chance saloon to keep their season alive, but the loss of their talisman last time out makes Thursday's contest a trickier assignment to navigate.
We are backing the Knicks to come away with the win and progress into the conference finals.
Adepoju Marvellous
