C's break out of slump, hit 20 3s to bury Knicks

NEW YORK -- Jayson Tatum had 22 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists, Payton Pritchard scored 23 points and the Boston Celtics easy got their archetypal triumph successful the Eastern Conference semifinals by routing the New York Knicks 115-93 connected Saturday successful Game 3.

The Celtics went 20 for 40 from 3-point scope aft going conscionable 25 for 100 successful their 2 losses successful Boston, erstwhile they blew 20-point leads successful the 2nd fractional of some games. They went up by 31 successful this 1 and determination was ne'er thing resembling a comeback for the Knicks.

Tatum, an All-Star who changeable conscionable 12 for 42 wide successful Boston, and Pritchard, the NBA Sixth Man of the Year, some made 5 3s.

Jaylen Brown scored 19 points and Derrick White had 17 for the Celtics, who volition effort to necktie the bid Monday nighttime successful Game 4 earlier returning to Boston for Game 5 connected Wednesday.

Jalen Brunson scored 27 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who blew a 2-0 pb successful this circular past twelvemonth and are inactive seeking their archetypal league finals quality since 2000.

Boston made much 3-pointers than immoderate squad successful NBA past during the regular season, erstwhile it swept each 4 meetings against New York. But the Celtics were crystal acold to unfastened this series, starting with an NBA playoff-record 45 misses successful Game 1.

They made their archetypal 4 3-point shots successful a blistering commencement Saturday and ne'er truly slowed down. They finished 6 for 7 down the arc en way to a 36-20 lead, their highest-scoring archetypal 4th of the postseason, rapidly taking the vigor retired of a assemblage wherever immoderate fans paid much than $600 per summons to beryllium successful the arena with the celebrities for 1 of the biggest games the Knicks person played successful the 2000s.

Tatum and Pritchard deed consecutive 3s for a 55-33 pb with 4 1/2 minutes remaining successful the half, and Boston took a 71-46 pb to the locker room.

New York was 5 for 25 down the arc and changeable 68.6% connected escaped throws -- though that was mostly due to the fact that Mitchell Robinson went 4 for 12 arsenic the Celtics fouled the mediocre escaped propulsion shooter intentionally.