NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks had a three-point lead with 11 seconds left in regulation against the most prolific 3-point shooting team in NBA history.
Jayson Tatum wondered if a foul was coming. The Knicks wondered afterward if it should have.
“I should have fouled him,” forward OG Anunoby said. “I should have known to foul.”
They didn't, and Tatum made the tying 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds left. Boston went on to win 119-117 in overtime, getting the tiebreaking basket on another 3-pointer from Kristaps Porzingis with 40 seconds to play.
The Celtics have made more than 1,400 3-pointers this season to shatter the league record, with Tatum among three Boston players who have made more than 245. When Boston inbounded the ball to him after Josh Hart's layup made it 107-104 with 11 seconds remaining in regulation, the All-Star forward wondered if the Knicks would give the foul to make sure the Celtics couldn't get off a tying shot behind the arc.
Instead, with Anunoby guarding him, Tatum stepped back to create enough space to get off the 3.
“I was curious to see if they were going to try to foul or not, and I just tried to create some space,” Tatum said.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said there are times when a foul would be the proper play in that situation. But the Celtics didn't take a timeout after Hart's basket to get set up with a plan before Tatum came at them quickly.
“They inbounded the ball quickly coming at us and then if he’s in a shooting motion you’re giving them the three shots,” Thibodeau said. “It wasn’t off a dead-ball situation.”
Porzingis then broke a 112-all tie when he hit from 30 feet. That was 10 feet closer than one of the career high-tying eight he hit in the game in the third quarter, when he picked up a ball that was rolling on the Knicks logo near center court and casually tossed it in.
“Just, the ball rolled to me and I said this is destiny,” Porzingis said. “I picked it up and just let it fly, honestly, without thinking too much.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
Brian Mahoney, The Associated Press
