Immanuel Quickley scores 38, leads Knicks to 2-OT victory over Celtics

BOSTON — The winning streak will end someday, and for much of the night, this seemed like the time.

Jalen Brunson was on the sideline watching in street clothes because of left foot soreness. Julius Randle was boiling over with frustration. And the Boston Celtics, with revenge on their minds, were running the Knicks out of the game — up by 14 in the third quarter and sending the TD Garden crowd into a frenzy.

And then somehow, through two overtimes and countless celebrations, Immanuel Quickley appeared to be as fresh as he was at the opening tip.

Scoring at will and dancing after every one of his career-high 38 points in 55:06, Quickley lifted the Knicks to another improbable victory, this one a 131-129 double-overtime decision over the Celtics that gave them nine straight wins.

Quickley, who never went to the bench after halftime and played the most minutes in a game of anyone in the NBA this season, scored the Knicks’ first seven points of the second overtime as the fatigue seemed to affect everyone but him.

“I’m exhausted,” he said. “That was all adrenaline. I was exhausted.

“It was great. Sunday, in TD Garden, it don’t get better than that. I was telling Julius that before the second overtime. I was like, ‘It don’t get better than this. We’re on national TV in the Garden.’ Other than Madison, this is probably my favorite place to play, so I had a lot of fun.”

He added: “It says a lot because they are a great team. Well-coached, skilled, but we don’t back down from nobody. So any time we step on the floor, we feel like we can put guys out there that can win an NBA game, so credit to us as well.”

In the second overtime, the Knicks had a two-point lead and the ball but were called for a 24-second violation with 22.2 seconds left. The Celtics seemed out of sorts and called time with 10.2 seconds left to reset the offense. Josh Hart fouled Jayson Tatum far from the rim with 6.8 seconds left, stopping the clock again. Then Tatum found Al Horford in the right corner for a potential winning three-pointer, but he misfired.

Horford’s three-pointer had given the Celtics a two-point lead with 29.8 seconds left in the first overtime, but Quickley drove into the lane for a tying floater with 13.1 seconds left. Tatum drove to the rim but missed as time expired.

Randle had 31 points and RJ Barrett added 29 in 50:08 for the Knicks (39-27). Quickley added eight rebounds and seven assists.

Tatum, who had been limited to 14 points by the Knicks last Monday, had 40 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and Horford had 20 for Boston (45-20).

“I think that’s kind of who we are, just that spirit, that fighting spirit,” Barrett said. “That’s what we preach. Everybody that comes into the game has that. There were plenty of ups and downs, but we were able to close it out in the end.”

Starting in pace of Brunson, Quickley came up with a pair of steals and scored nine points in a 21-2 run that turned an 87-79 deficit into a 100-89 lead.

The Knicks got a floater from Quickley, a drive by Hart and a three-pointer by Randle to turn a tie game into a 111-104 lead with 1:25 remaining in regulation. Boston answered with three-pointers from Horford and Marcus Smart — the second one coming on a third chance — and suddenly the lead was down to one with 18.7 seconds left.

Randle made two free throws with 16.2 seconds left and the Celtics called time to set up a game-tying opportunity. It came in the most unlikely fashion. Rather than attempt a three-point field goal, Brown went into the lane; Quentin Grimes tried to tie him up but was called for a foul as Brown rose. He hit the shot and converted the free throw for a tying three-point play.

The Knicks tried to have Randle dribble down the clock, but with Grant Williams hounding him, Brown swooped in and stole the ball — too late to get a shot off, but sending the game to overtime.

Quickley began the second overtime with a three-pointer and a driving dunk for a 126-121 lead and added a driving layup to make it 128-123. Hart’s two free throws gave the Knicks a 130-125 lead with 1:21 left, but Tatum’s driving layup made it 131-129 with 46.2 seconds left.

The Knicks are hesitant to look beyond the task directly in front of them, but it’s hard not to argue that they are emerging as a postseason threat.

“It’s good. I think the biggest thing is we’re just having fun playing,” Randle said. “Everybody is just enjoying being out there and competing at a really high level. Winning in the NBA is really hard, but we’re getting enjoyment out of doing the right things, building the right habits every game, getting better as a team. So I think that’s what’s keeping this thing fresh and the energy good.”

Notes & quotes: The Knicks went 2-2 the previous four times Brunson missed a game this season. “He just woke up with some soreness,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “They’ll reevaluate him [Monday] . . I don’t think it’s anything serious, so we just want to make sure he’s good.” . . . Robinson missed his first field-goal attempt, ending his streak of made field goals at 18. He has shot 27-for-31 since returning from a broken finger . . . The Knicks, who went 3-1 against Boston this season, are one game behind the fourth-place Cavaliers.

CAREER NIGHT

Immanuel Quickley’s numbers:

54 minutes*

38 points*8 rebounds7 assists4 steals2 blocks

*indicates career high

Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.