Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum drives to the basket during the first half of Saturday’s Celtics-Knicks game in New York. Noah K. Murray/Associated Press
NEW YORK — Jayson Tatum scored 40 points and the Boston Celtics easily handled the New York Knicks for the second time this season, winning 131-104 on Saturday night.
Payton Pritchard added 25 points off the bench for the Celtics, who rebounded from their loss to Dallas on Thursday in an NBA Finals rematch to win for the fifth time in six games and move 2 1/2 games ahead of the Knicks for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Derrick White had 17 and combined with Tatum for all the points in a 19-3 spurt in the third quarter that broke the game open, just as it had started to feel like a game for the first time. The Knicks, who trailed by double digits most of the night, had cut an 18-point deficit to 70-67, but by the time the run was over, Boston led 89-70.
Jalen Brunson scored 36 for the Knicks, who lost for the second time in nine games — both at home the last two Saturday nights on national TV. Josh Hart had 17.
TAKEAWAYS
Celtics: With Jrue Holiday already out with a shoulder injury and Kristaps Porzingis scratched shortly before the game with an illness, the Celtics leaned heavily on Tatum, Pritchard and White, who combined for 17 of their 19 3-pointers.
Knicks: The Knicks hoped their offseason moves would help them close the gap with the Celtics. But the Celtics blew them away in a 132-109 romp on opening night after raising their championship banner, and New York’s largest lead against Boston this season is one point.
KEY MOMENT
The Knicks missed their first 10 shots while the Celtics raced to a 12-2 lead.
KEY STAT
In the third quarter, Tatum had 19 points and White 14. The Knicks had 28.
UP NEXT
The Celtics visit Miami on Monday night, and the Knicks are at Indiana on Tuesday night.
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