The New York Knicks just played their biggest home playoff game in 25 years—and it turned into a disaster. With a chance to take a commanding 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics, the Knicks instead collapsed at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, dropping Game 3 in humiliating fashion, 115-93. The loss not only made the series 2-1, but also marked a brutal piece of history: for the first time in 79 seasons, the Knicks have lost three straight playoff games on their home floor.

What was hyped as a defining night in Knicks lore quickly spiraled into a worst-case scenario. Boston erupted out of the gate with a 16-point lead in the first quarter and never looked back, ballooning the margin to 31 by the third. Even when MSG briefly came alive after New York trimmed the deficit to 20 with 10 minutes left, there was never a sense of danger for the Celtics. The game was over before it really began.

Boston’s breakout had one clear cause: the three-point line. After hitting just 25-of-100 from deep in the first two games, the Celtics torched the Knicks in Game 3 by going 20-of-40 from beyond the arc—easily their best shooting night of the postseason. Payton Pritchard led the charge with 23 points off the bench, including five threes. Jayson Tatum, who had struggled earlier in the series, also hit five threes and finished with 21 points. His co-star, Jaylen Brown, added 20 more as the Celtics looked like the juggernaut that dominated the East all season.

Meanwhile, the Knicks had no answers. Their three-point defense fell apart, their offense looked disjointed, and their energy, according to several players, simply wasn’t there. Mikal Bridges admitted Boston “came out with more urgency,” while Jalen Brunson said the team might’ve been “subconsciously satisfied” with their 2-0 lead. That mindset was reflected on the court: the Knicks never led and were outplayed in every facet.

OG Anunoby had his least impactful game in a Knicks jersey, scoring just two points on 1-of-4 shooting with a team-worst -25 in 31 minutes. Mitchell Robinson’s free-throw woes also continued, as he went 4-for-12 from the line and airballed a shot for the second straight game. The Celtics began intentionally fouling him early, and Robinson’s overall defensive value was overshadowed by the glaring issue at the stripe.

Did the Celtics steal all the magic from MSG?

The Knicks’ recent history at MSG during the playoffs has been quietly dreadful. Saturday marked their third straight postseason home loss, and their scoring average in those games is a worrying 96.7 points per game on just 41.8% shooting. Despite the hype around this series and the resurgence of the franchise under Tom Thibodeau, the Garden has provided very little of the home-court edge fans expected.

Brunson ended the night with 27 points, but much of that came during garbage time. Karl-Anthony Towns had a double-double (21 points, 15 rebounds), but his impact was minimal. The Celtics controlled the boards, shot better from everywhere, and played with a fire the Knicks simply lacked. As Josh Hart put it: “We’ve got to fly around more… We’ve got to do more things. We know this was far from our best game.”

Saturday’s blowout served as a harsh reality check for the Knicks, and Game 4 now becomes a defining moment in their playoff run. If New York can bounce back, they’ll head to Boston with a 3-1 lead and renewed belief that this team can make the Finals for the first time in 25 years. But if they come out flat again, this series could spiral fast. The Celtics now smell blood. They’ve rediscovered their rhythm, their All-Stars are cooking, and their confidence has returned like a boomerang in a hurricane.

For the Knicks, it’s about more than just adjustments—it’s about showing fight, pride, and proving that the lights of MSG still shine for something. Game 4 is now less about strategy and more about survival. Lose, and this turns into a story about another New York collapse. Win, and maybe—just—maybe—MSG gets its magic back.