Knicks vs Boston Celtics Match Player Stats delivered one of the most dominant road performances of the entire 2026 NBA season on February 8, 2026. New York walked into TD Garden and crushed the Celtics 111-89, a 22-point blowout that turned heads across the entire Eastern Conference.
Brunson was unstoppable with 31 points on 57.1% shooting. Boston’s offense misfired at a historic rate, shooting just 37% from the field and a stunning 17.1% from three-point range.
With both teams fighting for Atlantic Division supremacy at 40-23 and 41-21 respectively, this matchup delivered fireworks, historic performances, and massive playoff seeding implications heading into March 2026.
The New York Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics 111-89 at TD Garden on February 8, 2026. It was a dominant wire-to-wire victory for the Knicks, who led by as many as 24 points during the contest.
New York exploded out of the gates, outscoring Boston 35-24 in the first quarter alone. The Celtics never recovered from that opening-quarter deficit.
Boston showed brief life in the second quarter, outscoring the Knicks 29-25, but the third quarter shut the door. New York’s 25-15 advantage in the third stretched the lead to an insurmountable margin.
The Knicks controlled this game from the opening tip. Here is a full look at how each quarter played out:
| Quarter | Boston Celtics | New York Knicks |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 24 | 35 |
| Q2 | 29 | 25 |
| Q3 | 15 | 25 |
| Q4 | 21 | 26 |
| Final | 89 | 111 |
The first quarter set the tone completely. New York’s +11 opening frame was the biggest swing of the entire game.
Boston’s third quarter was their worst, managing just 15 points while the Knicks kept pouring it on with 25. That 15-point frame effectively ended the contest as a competitive game.
The Knicks were led by their stars but got crucial contributions across the entire roster. Every key contributor stepped up in a different way.
Jalen Brunson was the best player on the floor in this Knicks vs Celtics matchup. He poured in 31 points on 12-of-21 shooting, hitting 4-of-8 from three-point range and going 3-of-3 from the free throw line.
Brunson’s 57.1% field goal percentage and 69.4% true shooting percentage were both elite. His 8 assists against just 3 turnovers and a +20 plus/minus made him the undisputed star of the night.
His 7 fast-break points were decisive in pushing the lead beyond reach in the first and third quarters. When the Celtics needed a stop most, Brunson was the one making plays.
Josh Hart delivered one of his best performances of the 2026 season with 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, adding 2 three-pointers, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Hart’s 60.3% true shooting percentage reflected how efficiently he played in every area of the floor. His 4 fast-break points kept Boston from ever getting a defensive foothold.
Hart finished at +10 for the game. His energy and motor were impossible to match for a Celtics roster that looked flat from the opening whistle.
Karl-Anthony Towns posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. He converted 5-of-6 from the free throw line and pulled in crucial defensive boards when Boston threatened to mount a second-quarter comeback.
Towns’ 30.8% defensive rebound percentage was team-leading among Knicks starters. His presence in the paint deterred Boston from attacking the rim freely after halftime.
Though his 33.3% field goal percentage was uncharacteristically low, his rebounding and free throw work were pivotal. His +10 plus/minus reflected his overall positive impact on the game.
Jose Alvarado came off the bench to score 12 points on 5-of-12 shooting with 2 three-pointers. He added 2 steals and 1 block in a high-energy defensive outing.
Alvarado’s +13 plus/minus was the best among all Knicks bench contributors. His 2 steals directly led to easy transition points that extended New York’s third-quarter run.
His 50.0% effective field goal percentage and aggressive defensive approach gave the Celtics fits every time he entered the game.
Mohamed Diawara had one of the most statistically clean games of any player in this Knicks vs Celtics matchup. He went 4-of-4 from the field, hitting both of his three-point attempts, scoring 10 points with 3 rebounds and 1 steal.
Diawara’s +22 plus/minus was the best of any player on the entire court. He scored 5 of his points off Boston turnovers, reflecting his knack for exploiting defensive breakdowns.
His perfect shooting night off the bench was a microcosm of how the entire Knicks team performed — efficient, smart, and relentless.
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG% | 3P% | TS% | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Brunson | 31 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 57.1% | 50.0% | 69.4% | +20 |
| Josh Hart | 19 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 50.0% | 33.3% | 60.3% | +10 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 11 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 33.3% | 0.0% | 47.3% | +10 |
| Jose Alvarado | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 41.7% | 33.3% | 50.0% | +13 |
| Mohamed Diawara | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100% | 100% | 125% | +22 |
| Landry Shamet | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 20.0% | 25.0% | 30.0% | -1 |
| Tyler Kolek | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100% | 100% | 150% | +2 |
| Jordan Clarkson | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0% | — | — | +9 |
| Pacome Dadiet | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | +2 |
Boston had a historically poor shooting night. Despite some individual bright spots, the collective performance was one of the worst of their 2026 season.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 26 points on 11-of-25 shooting. He drove aggressively, registering 20 points in the paint and generating 6 fouls drawn, but his 4 three-point attempts produced zero makes.
Brown’s 44.0% field goal percentage was solid for a tough night. However, his -14 plus/minus was one of the worst on the team, reflecting how badly the game went when he was on the floor alongside struggling teammates.
His 4 assists showed he tried to involve teammates when his own shot wasn’t falling cleanly, but Boston’s overall shooting failures made the deficit impossible to overcome.
Derrick White was arguably Boston’s most efficient player on the night, scoring 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting with 3-of-9 from three. He finished all 14 of his field goal attempts with 100% free throw accuracy (2-of-2).
White’s 63.8% true shooting percentage was the best on the Celtics roster. His 4 assists kept the Boston offense running but his -9 plus/minus still reflected the team’s overall poor performance.
His shooting was the lone consistent bright spot for a Celtics team that needed far more help across the entire lineup.
Baylor Scheierman recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds, adding 5 assists and shooting 2-of-7 from three-point range. His defensive rebounding percentage of 48.9% was extraordinary.
Scheierman’s +1 plus/minus was the best on the entire Celtics roster, meaning he was essentially the only Boston player who held his own for the night.
His 5 assists and 13 boards showed incredible hustle, but with the game getting away, his contributions could not change the scoreboard.
Nikola Vucevic struggled significantly, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting from a 38.5% field goal percentage. He had 6 rebounds but also 2 costly turnovers.
Vucevic’s -24 plus/minus was the worst on the Celtics. His inability to effectively guard Karl-Anthony Towns on the other end contributed to New York’s paint dominance throughout the game.
His 4 personal fouls limited his minutes and disrupted Boston’s interior rotations at the worst possible times.
Payton Pritchard had a difficult game, shooting 2-of-9 from the field with just 6 points, though he showed playmaking ability with 7 assists against 1 turnover. His -27 plus/minus was the lowest of any player in this Knicks vs Celtics game.
Pritchard’s 31.8% true shooting percentage told the story of his offensive struggles. The guard was victimized defensively during New York’s fast-break possessions throughout the night.
His 7 assists are a silver lining, but he was on the floor during the most damaging New York runs of the evening.
| Player | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG% | 3P% | TS% | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Brown | 26 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 44.0% | 0.0% | 48.6% | -14 |
| Derrick White | 19 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.0% | 33.3% | 63.8% | -9 |
| Baylor Scheierman | 10 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 37.5% | 28.6% | 56.3% | +1 |
| Nikola Vucevic | 11 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 38.5% | 16.7% | 42.3% | -24 |
| Payton Pritchard | 6 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 22.2% | 16.7% | 31.8% | -27 |
| Neemias Queta | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50.0% | — | 50.0% | 0 |
| Luka Garza | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25.0% | 0.0% | 52.1% | -6 |
| Jordan Walsh | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 25.0% | 0.0% | 25.0% | -4 |
| Ron Harper Jr. | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20.0% | 0.0% | 25.5% | -17 |
| Hugo Gonzalez | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20.0% | 0.0% | 20.0% | -8 |
The statistical gap between the two teams on February 8 was enormous across almost every meaningful category.
| Stat | New York Knicks | Boston Celtics |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 111 | 89 |
| FG% | 48.2% | 37.0% |
| 3P% | 40.0% | 17.1% |
| FT% | 70.8% | 93.3% |
| Total Rebounds | 57 | 54 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 39 | 30 |
| Assists | 23 | 22 |
| Steals | 5 | 4 |
| Blocks | 3 | 3 |
| Turnovers | 8 | 10 |
| Points Off Turnovers | 14 | 3 |
| Bench Points | 33 | 24 |
| Fast Break Points | 16 | 4 |
| Points in Paint | 38 | 52 |
| Effective FG% | 56.6% | 40.8% |
| True Shooting% | 59.3% | 45.1% |
| Offensive Rating | 117.4 | 94.1 |
| Defensive Rating | 94.1 | 117.4 |
| Biggest Lead | 24 | 2 |
The defining stat of the game was three-point shooting. New York hit 40% from deep on 35 attempts while Boston shot a dismal 17.1% on 41 tries. That gap alone accounted for most of the final score difference.
New York’s 16 fast-break points to Boston’s 4 also told a complete story. The Knicks were sharper in transition and punished every Boston turnover with extreme efficiency.
Several defining moments shifted this game decisively in New York’s favor. Understanding those key plays explains the 22-point final margin.
The first quarter 35-24 explosion set the tone before Boston could settle in. Brunson scored 10 of his 31 points in the opening period alone, attacking Boston’s defense before they established any rhythm.
New York’s third quarter was the true knockout blow. The Celtics managed just 15 points in 12 minutes, their worst offensive quarter of the season. Alvarado and Diawara off the bench disrupted every Boston ball-handler during this stretch.
The fast-break advantage of 16-4 was a direct reflection of New York’s defensive discipline. With only 8 turnovers versus Boston’s 10, and far superior transition finishing, the Knicks turned every miscue into easy points.
The most lopsided individual matchup of this Knicks vs Celtics game was the battle between Brunson and Pritchard. Brunson produced 31 points and 8 assists with a +20 plus/minus. Pritchard finished with 6 points on 2-of-9 shooting at a -27 plus/minus.
That 47-point swing in combined points and a 47-point swing in plus/minus between the two primary point guards essentially decided the outcome before the final buzzer.
Brunson’s 69.4% true shooting percentage was one of the best in any Knicks vs Celtics matchup in recent seasons. It was a statement performance at one of the most famous arenas in the NBA.
Boston’s 17.1% three-point shooting on 41 attempts was the defining statistical story of this game. The Celtics attempted 41 threes — actually more than the Knicks — and made just 7 of them.
Jaylen Brown was 0-for-4 from deep. Payton Pritchard hit just 1-of-6. Nikola Vucevic connected on just 1-of-6. Boston left approximately 51 potential points on the board if they had shot their season average from three.
By contrast, New York’s 40% on 35 attempts (14 makes) was well above league average. That 21-point swing from three-point shooting alone was more than the final margin. This was the decisive factor in the outcome.
New York’s bench outscored Boston’s bench 33-24. That 9-point bench advantage was crucial in maintaining the lead through the second quarter when Boston’s starters briefly made a push.
Alvarado’s 12 points and 2 steals, Diawara’s perfect 4-of-4 shooting for 10 points, and Kolek’s 6-of-6 shooting for 6 fast-break points made this the deepest bench performance of any Knicks game in the 2026 season.
Boston’s bench, led by Scheierman’s 10 points and Garza’s 6, could not match the collective energy and efficiency that New York’s reserves brought off the pine.
The advanced metrics paint an even clearer picture of New York’s dominance in this game.
New York’s offensive rating of 117.4 versus their defensive rating of 94.1 produced a net rating of +23.3 for the game. That is a historic margin by any standard for a 40-win team on the road.
Boston’s effective field goal percentage of 40.8% was nearly 16 points below league average. Their true shooting percentage of 45.1% was historically poor for a roster of this talent level.
New York’s assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.88 versus Boston’s 2.2 reflected superior ball movement throughout all four quarters. The Knicks averaged one turnover for every 2.88 assists — elite efficiency by any measure.
Both teams sit in the top two of the Atlantic Division and in the top three of the entire Eastern Conference. This rivalry has direct playoff seeding implications.
| Rank (East) | Team | W | L | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit Pistons | 45 | 16 | .738 |
| 2 | Boston Celtics | 41 | 21 | .661 |
| 3 | New York Knicks | 40 | 23 | .635 |
| 4 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 39 | 24 | .619 |
| 5 | Toronto Raptors | 35 | 27 | .565 |
| 6 | Philadelphia 76ers | 34 | 28 | .548 |
Boston sits at second in the East at 41-21. New York is right behind at 40-23 in third place. The gap between them is just two games with over a month remaining in the regular season.
A potential first-round playoff rematch between the Knicks and Celtics would be one of the most anticipated postseason series in Madison Square Garden history.
The Knicks and Celtics are two of the most storied franchises in NBA history. Their 2026 matchups are loaded with playoff implications that make every basket critical.
New York’s 40-23 record places them in the top three of the Eastern Conference, while Boston’s 41-21 keeps them just one game ahead. The Knicks need to win the majority of their remaining matchups against Boston to secure a higher playoff seed.
The February 8 blowout win gave New York a crucial half-game gain in the standings race. These small margins can determine home-court advantage and first-round matchups come playoff time.
The battle in the paint between Towns and Vucevic was another decisive factor in how this game unfolded. Towns pulled in 10 rebounds and drew 5 fouls, forcing Vucevic into a restricted defensive role.
Vucevic’s 4 personal fouls limited his availability in critical stretches of the third and fourth quarters. Boston was forced to use backup centers who were unable to contain New York’s offense.
Towns’ double-double performance was not pretty statistically — shooting just 33.3% from the field — but his physicality and rebounding disrupted Boston’s interior game plan from the first quarter onward.
Jaylen Brown scored 26 points but was inefficient in the ways that mattered most. His 0-for-4 performance from three-point range was a microcosm of Boston’s collective struggles from deep.
Brown drove aggressively and created 20 points in the paint on 10-of-18 from two-point range. But his -14 plus/minus tells the full story — when he was on the floor, the Knicks outscored the Celtics by 14 points combined.
The Knicks’ defensive scheme made Brown work extremely hard for every bucket. By the time he found his rhythm in the third and fourth quarters, the game was effectively over.
New York’s 35-point first quarter was the key momentum swing of the entire game. Brunson drove the lane three consecutive possessions to open the game, forcing Boston’s defense into reactive mode.
Diawara connected on both of his three-point attempts during the first quarter, pushing the lead to double digits before Boston even realized what was happening. The Celtics’ initial defensive scheme was completely unprepared for New York’s pace.
By the time Boston’s bench rallied in the second quarter to cut the deficit, New York’s starters had already established the psychological upper hand that carried through the final buzzer.
The Knicks’ 22-point blowout victory over Boston at TD Garden was one of the signature wins of their entire 2026 season. Road wins of this magnitude against a 41-win team carry enormous weight in conference tie-breaker scenarios.
New York’s current record of 40-23 places them in strong position for a top-three seed entering the playoff stretch. The Celtics loss moved them back temporarily in the Atlantic Division race.
For the Knicks, the February 8 victory adds a critical direct head-to-head win that could determine home-court advantage in any potential playoff series against Boston this spring.
The Knicks and Celtics rivalry is one of the oldest and most storied in all of professional basketball. Games between these two franchises at TD Garden and Madison Square Garden always carry extra weight.
In recent seasons, the Celtics have generally held the upper hand in the Atlantic Division. The 2026 Knicks team is one of the most competitive versions of this franchise in the past two decades.
Brunson’s emergence as a franchise star, combined with Towns’ rebounding dominance and a deep supporting cast, has the Knicks genuinely competing with Boston for Atlantic Division bragging rights in a way few predicted heading into the season.
Boston will not accept another 17.1% three-point shooting night without major adjustments. The Celtics will prioritize higher-quality looks from three and reduced turnovers in the rematch.
New York will look to replicate Brunson’s fast-break dominance and maintain their transition advantage. Alvarado and Diawara off the bench will again be critical pieces of the defensive pressure that disrupted Boston’s rhythm.
The next time these teams meet, expect the Celtics to be better prepared and far more competitive. But the Knicks have proven in 2026 that they can win in any environment.
The New York Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics 111-89 at TD Garden. It was a dominant 22-point road victory led by Jalen Brunson’s 31-point performance.
Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 31 points on 57.1% shooting, adding 8 assists and a +20 plus/minus in one of the best performances of his 2026 season.
The Celtics shot an abysmal 17.1% from three-point range, making just 7 of 41 attempts. That historic three-point shooting collapse was the defining factor in the 22-point loss.
Yes. Karl-Anthony Towns posted 11 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. His defensive rebounding percentage of 30.8% was a team-high among Knicks starters.
The New York Knicks are 40-23 (.635 win percentage) as of March 2026, sitting third in the Eastern Conference and second in the Atlantic Division standings.
The Boston Celtics are 41-21 (.661 win percentage) as of March 2026, ranking second in the Eastern Conference and first in the Atlantic Division standings.
Mohamed Diawara posted a +22 plus/minus, the best of any player on the court. Jalen Brunson’s +20 was second, and Jose Alvarado’s +13 was the best among all bench contributors.
Payton Pritchard finished at -27, the worst plus/minus of any player on either roster. Nikola Vucevic’s -24 was the second worst for the Celtics.
The Knicks scored 16 fast-break points compared to just 4 for the Celtics. That 12-point fast-break advantage was one of the biggest differences between the two teams.
Live scores, box scores, and full player stats for every Knicks vs Celtics game are available at NBA.com, ESPN, and the official New York Knicks and Boston Celtics team websites.
Knicks vs Boston Celtics on February 8, 2026 produced one of the most complete road victories in New York’s modern basketball history.
Jalen Brunson’s 31-point, 8-assist masterclass, Mohamed Diawara’s perfect shooting night off the bench, and a dominant 16-4 fast-break advantage combined to dismantle a 41-win Celtics team on their own court.
Boston’s catastrophic 17.1% three-point shooting and Payton Pritchard’s -27 plus/minus told the story of a night where everything went wrong for the green. With both teams sitting in the top three of the Eastern Conference at 40-23 and 41-21, every future Knicks vs Celtics matchup in 2026 carries playoff seeding weight.
The player stats from February 8 prove New York is ready to compete at the highest level — and that a deep postseason run is very much within reach.