Knicks vs Boston Celtics Match Player Stats
By NBA Stats Analyst | April 9, 2026 | Madison Square Garden, New York Official game data sourced from SportRadar NBA feed
Every Celtics fan expected Boston to walk into Madison Square Garden and handle the Knicks with ease. They were wrong. The Knicks vs Boston Celtics match delivered one of the sharpest performance gaps of the regular season’s final stretch — New York took control in the second half and never let go. If you want the complete Knicks vs Boston Celtics match player stats, every quarter breakdown, and an honest read on who played well and who let their team down, this is the only breakdown you need.
FINAL SCORE New York Knicks 112 — Boston Celtics 106 Date: April 9, 2026 | Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York Season: 2025–26 NBA Regular Season
Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown
Boston started stronger and led after both the first and third quarters. New York took command in the second and fourth periods, turning a three-point deficit into a six-point final win. The Knicks outscored the Celtics 31–23 in the fourth quarter — that closing run decided everything.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Knicks | 26 | 28 | 27 | 31 | 112 |
| Boston Celtics | 29 | 24 | 30 | 23 | 106 |
Key numbers at a glance:
- Knicks biggest lead: +13 points
- New York assists: 29 (vs 23 for Boston)
- Celtics bench points: 53 (vs 22 for New York)
- Boston turnovers: 11 (led to 14 Knicks points)
Full Team Stats Comparison: Knicks vs Celtics
The Knicks vs Boston Celtics match player stats tell a story of New York’s efficiency against Boston’s wastefulness. New York shot better, shared the ball more, and protected possession far more cleanly. The Celtics had an impressive second-chance edge, but 11 turnovers wiped out any rhythm they built.
| Stat Category | New York Knicks | Boston Celtics |
|---|---|---|
| Total Points | 112 | 106 |
| Field Goal % | 53.8% | 45.2% |
| Three-Point % | 42.9% | 37.2% |
| Free Throw % | 73.3% | 87.5% |
| Total Rebounds | 42 | 48 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 5 | 13 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 25 | 29 |
| Assists | 29 | 23 |
| Steals | 9 | 4 |
| Blocks | 2 | 1 |
| Turnovers | 7 | 11 |
| Points in the Paint | 46 | 32 |
| Fast Break Points | 9 | 12 |
| Second Chance Points | 6 | 18 |
| Bench Points | 22 | 53 |
| Points Off Turnovers | 14 | 8 |
| Effective FG% | 63.1% | 54.8% |
| True Shooting % | 64.7% | 58.2% |
| Biggest Lead | +13 | +7 |
New York Knicks — Full Player Stats Box Score
The Knicks’ starting five did the damage. Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson carried the offensive load while Karl-Anthony Towns anchored the interior. Mikal Bridges had a perfect shooting night — 4-for-4 from the field with a team-best +17 rating. Every starter finished with a positive plus/minus except Mitchell Robinson, who still provided three steals and solid rim presence.
| Player | Pos | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG% | 3P% | FT% | TO | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Hart ★ | F | 26 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 66.7% | 71.4% | 50.0% | 3 | +6 |
| Jalen Brunson | G | 25 | 1 | 10 | — | — | 52.6% | 28.6% | 75.0% | 1 | +8 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | C | 16 | 12 | 4 | 2 | — | 50.0% | 25.0% | 100.0% | 1 | +5 |
| OG Anunoby | F | 13 | 4 | 1 | 2 | — | 40.0% | 42.9% | 100.0% | 1 | +3 |
| Mikal Bridges | G | 10 | 2 | 6 | — | — | 100.0% | 100.0% | — | — | +17 |
| Mitchell Robinson | C-F | 7 | 7 | — | 3 | 1 | 75.0% | — | 50.0% | — | −2 |
| Miles McBride | G | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 20.0% | 25.0% | 50.0% | — | −2 |
| Landry Shamet | G | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 25.0% | 33.3% | — | 1 | −9 |
★ = Team high scorer
Boston Celtics — Full Player Stats Box Score
Jayson Tatum led Boston in scoring with 24 points, but a dismal 31.8% field-goal percentage and six turnovers hurt the Celtics badly. Payton Pritchard showed up as Boston’s second-best option with 23 efficient points. Baylor Scheierman delivered a shooting clinic — 6-of-7 from three — yet it wasn’t enough. The Celtics bench outscored New York’s 53 to 22, which actually kept the game from getting away entirely.
| Player | Pos | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG% | 3P% | FT% | TO | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayson Tatum ★ | F | 24 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 31.8% | 20.0% | 80.0% | 6 | −16 |
| Payton Pritchard | G | 23 | 3 | 6 | — | — | 50.0% | 37.5% | — | 2 | +4 |
| Baylor Scheierman | G | 20 | 4 | — | — | — | 87.5% | 85.7% | — | — | −1 |
| Neemias Queta | C | 10 | 10 | 2 | 2 | — | 66.7% | — | 100.0% | — | −7 |
| Nikola Vucevic | C | 10 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 57.1% | 50.0% | — | 2 | +1 |
| Derrick White | G | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 20.0% | 0.0% | 100.0% | — | −3 |
| Sam Hauser | F | 6 | 2 | 3 | — | — | 28.6% | 33.3% | — | — | +1 |
| Jordan Walsh | G | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 50.0% | 50.0% | — | — | −9 |
★ = Team high scorer
How Did the Knicks Win This Game?
New York’s path to victory ran through the paint and the assist column. The Knicks put up 46 points in the paint — 14 more than Boston managed — and their 29 assists on just 7 turnovers shows exactly how disciplined they were on offense.
Jalen Brunson orchestrated a near-perfect fourth quarter, and the Knicks’ defense generated 9 steals, turning Boston’s careless ball handling into 14 points off turnovers. That combination of ball movement and defensive aggression defined the Knicks vs Boston Celtics match player stats picture.
- Brunson’s 10 assists with only 1 turnover set the tone for clean, purposeful offense
- Mikal Bridges hit all 4 of his shots — including both three-point attempts — finishing at +17, the best rating on the court
- Karl-Anthony Towns controlled the glass with 12 rebounds and gave Boston’s frontcourt no easy second looks
- Mitchell Robinson’s 3 steals from the center position disrupted Celtics’ interior actions
KEY STAT: The Knicks shot 53.8% from the field compared to Boston’s 45.2% — an 8.6-point efficiency gap that proved decisive when Boston’s bench couldn’t maintain the cushion built in the third quarter.
Why Did the Celtics Fall Short?
Boston’s biggest problem was Jayson Tatum’s shooting performance. He posted 24 points but needed 22 field-goal attempts and committed 6 turnovers to get there. His minus-16 plus/minus was the worst on either roster — when Tatum played, the Celtics were significantly outscored.
The Celtics won the second-chance battle (18 vs. 6) and the bench-scoring battle (53 vs. 22), which means the story of this loss starts and ends with Tatum’s off night and Boston’s 11-turnover total that gifted New York 14 free points.
- Tatum shot just 31.8% from the field and 20.0% from three on 10 attempts
- Derrick White went 2-for-10 and hit zero three-pointers on 6 attempts
- Boston’s 11 turnovers led directly to 14 Knicks points
- The Celtics gave up 46 paint points, exposing interior defensive vulnerabilities all night
Jalen Brunson Performance Analysis
Brunson’s 25-point, 10-assist double-double was the engine of New York’s win. He managed a 10-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio — one of the cleaner playmaking lines you’ll see from any guard in a high-pressure game at MSG. His 52.6% field-goal percentage came through smart shot selection: 8 of his 12 two-point attempts went in, and he drew 3 personal fouls to get to the free-throw line.
Brunson’s late-game performance, when the pressure was highest, showed exactly why New York built this roster around him. He was the reason the Knicks came out of halftime down and finished up six.
Karl-Anthony Towns and the Paint Domination Story
KAT finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds — a decisive double-double that won the interior battle cleanly. His 100% free-throw shooting on 3 attempts and 10 defensive boards gave New York a reliable anchor throughout. Boston never found a consistent answer for him in the post or on the perimeter, where he also connected on one three-pointer.
The 46-to-32 paint-points gap this game generated traces directly back to KAT’s presence drawing defenders and creating lanes for Brunson’s drives and Hart’s cuts.
Baylor Scheierman’s Heroics Weren’t Enough for Boston
One of the night’s most striking individual lines belongs to Baylor Scheierman. He shot 6-of-7 from three and finished 7-of-8 overall for 20 points off the bench — an 85.7% three-point clip that stands out in any box score. But Scheierman’s production came while the game was still within reach. Once the Knicks’ fourth-quarter push widened the gap, no amount of individual brilliance from a bench player could reverse the momentum.
NOTE: Baylor Scheierman’s 85.7% three-point shooting in this game ranks among the best single-game bench performances of this Celtics season — yet Boston still lost by 6.
Bench Points Gap: What It Actually Means
Boston’s bench outscored New York’s bench 53 to 22. On paper, that sounds like a massive advantage for the Celtics. In reality, a big chunk of Boston’s bench production came when starters rotated out and the game was already shifting in New York’s favor. The Knicks’ starting five did so much damage that their bench didn’t need to carry a heavy load.
Scheierman’s 20 bench points and Payton Pritchard’s 23 kept Boston competitive throughout. Without that production, this game isn’t close by halftime.
Knicks vs Celtics: The Defensive Battle in Numbers
New York’s defense generated 9 steals — more than double Boston’s 4. The Knicks also held Boston to 45.2% shooting, forced 11 turnovers, and limited the Celtics to just 32 points in the paint. Boston entered this game as one of the better offensive teams in the East; the Knicks exposed real gaps in their ball security.
- Knicks steals: 9 (Mitchell Robinson alone had 3)
- Celtics turnovers: 11 (Tatum accounted for 6 of them)
- New York’s effective field-goal percentage allowed: 54.8%
- Boston’s interior defense gave up 46 paint points — 14 more than they scored themselves
Knicks vs Celtics Playoff Context: What This Win Meant
This April 9 regular-season win carried weight beyond the two points in the standings. New York used this performance to build finishing momentum heading into the postseason, where the Knicks ultimately swept the Philadelphia 76ers in four games in the second round. The rhythm built here — Brunson’s playmaking, Hart’s off-ball movement, KAT’s interior presence — transferred directly into playoff success.
Boston, for their part, fell in the first round to Philadelphia. This Knicks vs Boston Celtics match player stats breakdown now reads as an early preview of the contrasting trajectories both franchises took through the 2026 playoffs.
Key Takeaways From the Knicks vs Celtics Stats Sheet
- New York outshot Boston by 8.6 percentage points — the most impactful single number in this box score
- Brunson’s 10-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio makes his line one of the finest playmaking performances at MSG this season
- Tatum’s minus-16 rating with 6 turnovers damaged Boston’s chances more than any other single factor
- New York dominated the paint 46–32, controlling the game where it mattered most physically
- Boston’s bench scored 53 points but lost anyway — starters win or lose close games, and theirs didn’t show up
- Mikal Bridges’ perfect shooting night (4-for-4, +17) proves his offensive value goes far beyond his defensive reputation
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who won the Knicks vs Boston Celtics match?
A: The New York Knicks won 112–106 on April 9, 2026, at Madison Square Garden. New York trailed after the first quarter, battled back in the second, then delivered a dominant 31–23 fourth quarter to secure the result.
Q: Who led the Knicks in scoring against the Celtics?
A: Josh Hart led all Knicks scorers with 26 points, shooting 66.7% from the field and 71.4% from three. Jalen Brunson added 25 points with 10 assists, and Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Q: What were Jayson Tatum’s stats against the Knicks?
A: Tatum recorded 24 points, 13 rebounds, and 8 assists but shot only 31.8% from the field and committed 6 turnovers. His minus-16 plus/minus was the worst mark of any player in this game on either side.
Q: How did Payton Pritchard perform in this game?
A: Payton Pritchard scored 23 points on 50.0% shooting with 6 assists and 3 rebounds. He was Boston’s most efficient scorer on the night and finished at plus-4, one of the few positive marks for a Celtic.
Q: Why did the Boston Celtics lose to the Knicks?
A: Boston lost for three clear reasons: Tatum’s 6 turnovers, a 45.2% field-goal percentage that trailed New York’s 53.8%, and conceding 46 paint points. The Celtics’ bench outscored New York’s 53–22, but their starters couldn’t match Brunson and Hart when it counted.
Q: What was the assist difference in the Knicks vs Boston Celtics match player stats?
A: New York finished with 29 assists to Boston’s 23. The Knicks also managed a far better assist-to-turnover ratio — 29 assists on 7 turnovers — while Boston produced 23 assists on 11 turnovers. That difference handed New York 14 free points.
The Final Word
When you read through the Knicks vs Boston Celtics match player stats from every angle, one truth stands clear: New York earned this win through ball movement, paint control, and defensive aggression. Brunson and Hart outperformed their counterparts when the game mattered most, and KAT’s double-double set the tone inside throughout.
Boston had the bench production and Scheierman’s three-point fireworks. But turnovers, Tatum’s poor efficiency, and leaking 46 paint points made those positives irrelevant. The Knicks’ 112–106 victory at MSG was a statement about the team’s readiness for the postseason — and the playoffs that followed proved it was no fluke.
Bookmark this page for the latest Knicks vs Boston Celtics match player stats and game updates as the 2026 playoff picture continues to unfold.
SOURCES:
- SportRadar NBA Official Data Feed — Game ID: 9a91e1d5
- NBA.com/Stats — Official Advanced Statistics (nba.com/stats)
- ESPN NBA Coverage — Box Score Analysis (espn.com/nba)
- The Ringer NBA — Game Breakdowns and Context (theringer.com/nba)
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