Game 5 at TD Garden was already packed with drama—Josh Hart bled after an early elbow. Jalen Brunson clipped Jaylen Brown below the belt. Then Brown threw an almost low blow at Hart, sparking a shoving match to kick off the second half.

Early in the first quarter, Hart drove hard to the hoop. Celtics center Luke Kornet caught him with an elbow near the left eyebrow. The cut opened fast, blood streaming down and soaking his jersey. Medical staff stepped in to patch him up, but Hart wasn’t about to sit out. NBA rules say you have to take your free throws to stay in the game if you get fouled and injured. Hart nailed both, switched jerseys, and kept battling.

Fast forward to the third quarter tip-off, and things boiled over between Jaylen Brown and Josh Hart. After some physical play, Brown threw a shove below the belt that crossed a line, sparking a full-on shoving match. Al Horford had to step in and break it up, but the refs didn’t hesitate—both Brown and Hart picked up technical fouls for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Josh Hart and Jaylen Brown get in a bit of a tussle, then Al Horford gets involved

JB and Hart both get called for a tech pic.twitter.com/fL7msCMudL

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) May 15, 2025

And earlier, Jalen Brunson caught Jaylen Brown right below the belt, so yeah, the heat was definitely on from the jump.

Both teams were on edge—and for good reason. The Knicks came in up 3-1 and were looking to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. The Celtics, meanwhile, were trying to stay alive without their guy, Jayson Tatum, who tore his Achilles in Game 4. Every possession felt like a battle. Every screen, every closeout, every drive was laced with desperation.

Then came the third quarter, and Boston snapped.

Losing Jayson Tatum to that nasty Achilles snap in Game 4? Yeah, that hit the Celtics like a ton of bricks. Their go-to scorer, the emotional leader? Gone. The playoff season looked dicey as hell. But Boston wasn’t about to tap out. The locker room vibe was clear: “No pity parties—we got enough to win.” They tightened the screws on defense, dialed up the focus, and played like the scrappy squad they are.

Jaylen Brown took over in the third, dropping 11 points with hustle and smooth shooting that fired up TD Garden. But it wasn’t just Jaylen. Derrick White had a career night, torching the Knicks from deep with 34 points on 7-of-13 threes. Luke Kornet was a revelation off the bench, banging inside like he had something to prove—10 points, 9 boards, and 7 blocks. Brown put on a masterclass: 26 points, 12 assists, and 8 rebounds. He ran the offense and found shooters like Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard, who hit timely threes. Al Horford’s veteran presence steadied the ship with Porziņģis still limited.

The third quarter? Boston flipped the switch. After the Brown-Hart tussle and double technicals, Boston went on a rampage, outscoring New York 37-20. The Knicks led by one after the first quarter but got swamped by Boston’s intensity and ball movement.

Jalen Brunson, fresh off a 39-point Game 4, was held to 22 and forced into tough shots. Josh Hart pushed through an early elbow injury and led the Knicks with 24 points. Still, New York’s offense sputtered in the second half. Boston’s defense locked in, forcing turnovers and contesting every shot. They held the Knicks to just 35.8% from the field.

The message? Loud and clear. Boston’s 127-102 win was more than survival—it was a statement. Resilience. Depth. Belief. They showed they could win big without their superstar and get loud in the Garden doing it. Now the series heads back to MSG for Game 6. Momentum swings Boston’s way. Pressure shifts squarely onto the Knicks.