Celtics can’t complete comeback, fall to Knicks in overtime 120-117 at home

The Boston Celtics dropped a third straight game Thursday night, losing to the visiting New York Knicks in overtime 120-117. Two consecutive misses at the free throw line from Jaylen Brown with just moments remaining on the clock ultimately doomed the Celtics. Boston’s next game is against LeBron James and the archrival Los Angeles Lakers this weekend.

The stars really came to play in this one, with Boston’s best just a step behind New York’s Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. Randle finished with 37 points and 9 rebounds, while Brunson had 29 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and a game-saving block at the horn.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown weren’t exactly chopped liver. Tatum had 35 points and 14 rebounds, and was a main force behind even reaching an overtime period. Jaylen Brown ended the game with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Unfortunately, Brown and Tatum also combined for 6 crucial turnovers.

This was the 6,000th game in franchise history for the Boston Celtics. The team falls to 3548-2452 all time. Here’s what you may have missed from Boston’s overtime loss to New York:

Jayson Tatum was named an All-Star Game starter before the game

Despite the loss, the night opened with a wonderful bit of news for basketball fans in the Hub. For the fourth time in his career, Jayson Tatum will represent the Celtics at the NBA All-Star Game, earning starting honors for the first time as a pro. The starters were announced during a televised program prior to Thursday night’s action.

Tatum is having his best season of his career, and this nod belies his growing star power in the league. Not only is his jersey one of the top-sellers in the NBA, but Tatum is firmly in the mix to win the MVP award this season, too.

Jaylen Brown was not listed as a starter, but is all but guaranteed a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star roster. The NBA All-Star reserves will be announced Feb. 2.

The Celtics really missed Marcus Smart

With NBA trade rumors heating up, Boston is reportedly seeking an upgrade at the backup big man position. As such, the Celtics may have to make difficult decisions around some of the clubs role players. Guys like Luke Kornet or Sam Hauser come to mind.

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Marcus Smart has been out with an ankle sprain and will miss a bit more time as he returns from injury. Unsurprisingly, being without the reigning Defensive Player of the Year has posed some challenges for the Celtics.

Robert Williams III may have had a decent game, including 1 block and 12 rebounds to go with 8 points. But outside of Williams’ usual defensive prowess, the Knicks were a little too comfortable on offense. New York point guard Jalen Brunson was particularly good for the visiting team, penetrating Boston’s Smart-less defense with ease. From there, the Knicks were usually the ones dictating the terms of engagement.

The good news for the Celtics is that Smart isn’t expected to miss much time. The bad news, however, appears to be that Boston’s perimeter defense really struggles when Smart is unavailable.

Tatum and Brown couldn’t get it done

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are flirting with history, and could become one of the most prolific scoring duos for a single season ever in the NBA. Coming into tonight, Brown and Tatum are averaging a combined 57.9 points per game. On Thursday, though, the team’s stars were just a little out of rhythm tonight, opening up a chance for the Knicks to steal a road win.

As a team, Boston shot 34.8% from 3-point. They won the rebounding battle and logged 22 assists. As a team, you can live with 13 turnovers, though that’s not a great number.

Brunson and Randle were spectacular for New York. And the Celtics, despite some issues, played well enough. After all, they were a pair of free throws away from grabbing a win. Tough loss, but the season marches on.

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Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire