Knicks vs. Celtics score: Boston hits 20 3-pointers, runs away in Game 3 to get back in playoff series

The defending champion Celtics shot 50% from beyond the arc in Saturday's Game 3

The Boston Celtics hit 20 3-pointers and ran away for a blowout win over the New York Knicks on Saturday afternoon to take Game 3 in their second-round playoff matchup. New York still leads the series, 2-1, but Boston finally saw plenty of shots go down. Five Celtics players scored 15 or more points, and six different players hit at least two 3-pointers. That includes Payton Pritchard, who scored a team-high 23 points off the bench and hit half of his 10 3-point attempts.

Boston -- which missed 75 3-pointers as a team in the first two games (25 for 100) and blew a pair of 20-point leads to start the series -- also got 22 points (5-for-9 3-point shooting) from Jayson Tatum and 19 points (2-for-6 3-point shooting) from Jaylen Brown. 

"At the end of the day, we got a test in front of us, and I got a group of guys -- I wouldn't want anyone else to be able to go through that," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters after Game 3. "This is the fun part, get into the journey for it to be easy. It's been dark, but in a good way. ...You just got to tap into your darkness."

The good news for the Knicks is they still have control in this series, at least on paper, with a 2-1 lead and another home game still to come on Sunday. The bad news is Boston has actually outplayed the Knicks for the majority of this series save for two extremely unlikely shooting games, which were never going to continue. The Celtics led by 16 at the end of the first quarter on Saturday and scored 71 points in the first half.

Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 48 points for New York, but Game 3 turned out to be the Knicks' night to go cold from distance. New York shot just 5 for 25 (20%) on 3s.

The 22-point defeat is tied for the largest home loss in Knicks playoff history. The two teams will reconvene at Madison Square Garden on Monday night for Game 4.

[May 10, 2025 at 6:10 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Game 3 Final: Celtics 115, Knicks 93

However you want to dole out credit for New York's two 20-point rallies to open this series between good Knicks defense and bad Boston shooting, it all flipped in Game 3 as the inevitable Boston avalanche happened with the Celtics making 20 3-pointers at a 50% clip to outscore New York by 45 points from beyond the arc. 

Celtics

• Payton Pritchard: 23 points (5 for 10 from 3)
• Jayson Tatum: 22 points (5 for 9 from 3)
• Jaylen Brown: 19 points (2 for 6 from 3)

Knicks

• Jalen Brunson: 27 points (9 for 21 shooting)
• Karl-Anthony Towns: 21 points (5 for 18 shooting)

The good news for the Knicks is they still have control in this series, at least on paper, with a 2-1 lead and their second home game still to come on Sunday. The bad news is Boston has actually outplayed the Knicks for the majority of this series save for two extremely unlikely shooting games, which were never going to continue. 

As far as crazy trend that did continue in Game 3, road teams are now 6-0 in the Easter Conference semifinals. Cleveland lost two at home to the Pacers, then rebounded to win Game 3 at Indiana. Now it's the Knicks, who managed to take both games at Boston, who have failed to win Game 3 on their home court. 

The 22-point disparity is tied for the worst home playoff loss in Knicks history. 

If the Knicks are going to win Game 4, or certainly this series, they're going to have to prove they can keep up with Boston on a night when the Celtics aren't missing everything. That will determine who winds up marching on to the conference finals. 

[May 10, 2025 at 5:39 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

3Q score: Celtics 96, Knicks 70

Unless the Knicks can pull off another historic comeback -- don't hold your breath -- this one is over. The good news is the Knicks will still lead the series 2-1 with another chance to put the Celtics behind the 8-ball in Game 4 on Sunday. 

The Celtics have just been too hot from 3 for New York to even come close to keeping up with. This was bound to happen. The Knicks can't depend on Boston, a historic 3-point shooting team, just continuing to miss quality looks. 

The Knicks need to generate their own consistent offense, even more so because they don't make a ton of 3s (fewest makes per game of any team remaining in the playoffs), so they have to be that much more efficient at what they do. That hasn't happened in Game 3, and really, consistently, hasn't happened in this series outside the huge runs to close Games 1 and 2. 

[May 10, 2025 at 5:17 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Boston's 3-point avalanche is happening

After missing 75 of their first 100 3-pointers through the first two games of this series, the Celtics have broken out for 15 3-pointers at a 57% clip halfway through the third quarter in Game 3. This was always going to happen eventually. 

Boston has created the right kinds of 3, catch and shoots and in-rhythm pull-ups, but they created a good amount of those through teh first two games as well. The wide-open ones are the difference. When those are going in, which they are in Game 3, then the more contested ones become more comfortable, too. 

[May 10, 2025 at 4:49 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

1H Score: Celtics 71, Knicks 44

Celtics

• Jaylen Brown: 17 points (3 for 4 from 3)
• Jayson Tatum: 14 points (4 for 5 from 3)
• Payton Pritchard: 13 points (3 for 6 from 3)

Knicks

• Karl-Anthony Towns: 13 points (5 for 11 shooting)
• Jalen Brunson: 12 points (4 for 10 shooting)

[May 10, 2025 at 4:28 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Boston continuing to defend

Even as they have lost the first two games of this series, the Celtics' defense has been solid and that is continuing in Game 3 as they've held New York well under 40% shooting with just one 3-pointer. Nothing is coming easy for New York as Boston has stretched the lead to 22 early in the second quarter. 

[May 10, 2025 at 4:23 pm ET · Aaron Gray]

Pritchard knocks it down to close first quarter

[May 10, 2025 at 4:15 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Knicks continue to dig early holes

New York is yet to figure out how to keep from digging itself into a huge early hole in this series. They've gotten away with it the first two games with what can only be described as incredibly unlikely comebacks. At some point, that will stop being possible. That time might be today as the Knicks trail by 16 at the end of the first quarter. 

[May 10, 2025 at 4:10 pm ET · Brad Botkin]

Celtics 3s falling early

After two miserable shooting games to open the series, Boston has hit six of its first seven 3s to open this one. Combine that with New York struggling to create good looks on their end, and the Celtics have ... stop me if you've heard this before ... jumped out to a big lead. Now the question is: Can they actually hold it this time? 

[May 10, 2025 at 11:37 am ET · Aaron Gray]

Best bets for Saturday's Game 3

Where to watch Knicks vs. Celtics: TV channel, NBA playoffs live stream, Game 6 odds, prediction, time

Sam Quinn