Rapid Recap is designed for the busiest of Celtics fans. Whether you can’t stay awake to read 10 paragraphs or your hangover is just too much, Rapid Recap tells the timeline of the game in only a minute or two.
Coming into Sunday afternoon’s game, the Celtics had won five straight and the Knicks had lost five straight. Celtics should cruise, right?
Well, in the NBA even bad teams can have good days. The Celtics were reminded of that fact as they absorbed a 105-75 drubbing, a game that was never close. Simply put, no one on the Celtics played well and everyone on the Knicks did.
The first quarter told the story of the game. Both teams shot 39%, but the Knicks led 28-17 by grabbing 7 offensive rebounds for an 11-0 advantage in second-chance points. New York also forced 7 Boston turnovers, went 7 of 8 from the free throw line (Celts were 0 for 2), and secured just about every loose ball by outhustling the flat Celtics.
The only good news for Boston was that Kemba Walker made his first appearance of the season after rehabbing his knee. He played 20 minutes, scored 9, but shot poorly as the rust was evident.
Let’s go to our Twitter recap. Short version:
This game sucks.
— Chuck M. (@McK_Chuck) January 17, 2021
Full version.
Celtics vs. Knicks – TD Garden – Jan. 17, 2021 – Starting Lineups
Boston – Walker, Smart, Brown, G. Williams, Thompson
New York – Elfrid Payton, RJ Barrett, Reggie Bullock, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson
OUT: Boston: Tatum, Edwards, Langford, Fall New York: Burks, NtIlikina
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) January 17, 2021
Celts were sleepwalking for the 1 p.m. start.
Brad Stevens calls an angry time out two minutes into the game after the Knicks jump out to a 7-2 lead. Appeared unhappy with Jaylen Brown, in particular.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 17, 2021
Pretty much Boston’s only highlight of the first quarter.
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 17, 2021
Jaylen made a trio of triples to keep the Celtics within reach.
Knicks lead 28-17 after one
Brown – 11 points
Celtics – 7 turnovers
Celtics – 7-18 shootingRandle – 10 points
Barrett – 9 points
Knicks – 7 offensive rebounds
Knicks – 9-23 shooting— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) January 17, 2021
Good to have Kemba back.
straight to the hoop pic.twitter.com/qil3dPLNoO
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 17, 2021
But the struggle continued.
Knicks now up 15 in Boston late in the second quarter. Boston is now shooting 35 percent overall, and 25 percent from 3. Just can't get anything going offensively. Quickley now up to 11 points off the bench for the Knicks.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 17, 2021
Celtics average around 27 points in the first quarter on the season
They barely are going to have more than 29 points in an entire half
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) January 17, 2021
I’ve now watched a full soccer game and nearly a half of a basketball game and have never once thought that my team was about to score
— Ryan Bernardoni (@dangercart) January 17, 2021
New York was having no such troubles.
Immanuel Quickley is pummeling the Celtics with floaters.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) January 17, 2021
Halftime.
Knicks lead Celtics 48-35 at the half
Brown: 13pts
Walker: 8pts, 3astsRandle: 12pts, 4rebs, 2stls
Barrett: 10pts, 7rebs, 2stls— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) January 17, 2021
That's the fewest first half points the Celtics have scored since November of last season
— Max Lederman (@Max_Lederman) January 17, 2021
Any thoughts of a comeback ended when the Knicks scored the first 10 points of the second half. Brutal.
Celtics have had two four-plus minute scoring droughts already in the first 30 minutes of this game.
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) January 17, 2021
Scary moment.
A look at Kemba Walker getting hit, and heading back into the locker room 😢 pic.twitter.com/ZHN7OPCeN6
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) January 17, 2021
Sigh of relief.
Word from #Celtics medical staff: Kemba Walker is fine after taking a shot to the ribs. He was at his minutes limit for today either way.
— Abby Chin (@tvabby) January 17, 2021
The Knicks poured it on for the entire second half. The final horn was merciful.
Julius Randle had 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, while RJ Barrett had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Immanuel Quickley had 17 off the bench.
Kemba Walker had 9-3-4-3 in 20 minutes in his season debut, but had five turnovers. Most importantly, he was moving quite well. https://t.co/PEBHifVuc1
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) January 17, 2021
The Celtics shot 29.8% (25-of-84) from the field today.
Per NBA stats, it's the first time the Celtics have shot under 30% for a game since Jan. 5, 2004 when they shot 29.3% vs. Detroit.
— Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) January 17, 2021
It was simply not the Celtics’ day. Literally
The Celtics haven't won a Jan. 17 game in 10 years. It's just not their day.
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) January 17, 2021
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