The Boston Celtics will look to extend their winning streak to six games and put more distance between themselves and the visiting New York Knicks when they meet on Sunday afternoon.
Both teams are near the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Boston is in second place, 4 1/2 games behind Detroit. The Knicks are in third place, one game behind the Celtics.
Nikola Vucevic contributed 11 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals in his debut with the Celtics, a 98-96 victory over Miami on Friday night.
“It was really fun to get the crowd into it,” said Vucevic, who was acquired this week from the Chicago Bulls. “Very loud. One of the loudest places in the NBA. I know even from playing against the Celtics before, but it’s much nicer when the fans are behind you, supporting you. Boston fans really know sports. They really know basketball. I could really hear people cheer. It’s fun to hear my name getting cheered, especially the ovation I got when I first subbed in. I really appreciated that. It means a lot as a player to get the support of the fans.”
The Celtics trailed by 22 points in the first half — and by 21 at halftime — but outscored the Heat 36-15 in the third quarter. Vucevic had eight points and five rebounds in the third.
Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said the Boston crowd was a huge factor in the team’s comeback.
“We have the phrase up there, ‘It’s different here,’ and it’s the truth,” Mazzulla said. “I mean, it just is. From all levels. From the city. From the organization from the top to the bottom. … The crowd could have easily given up on us. Deservedly so. And I thought they stuck with us and helped us on those runs, especially in the third quarter.”
The Knicks are coming off their worst offensive performance of the season. New York shot 35.4% percent from the field in Friday night’s 118-80 loss at Detroit. Jalen Brunson was 4 for 20 from the field and finished with 12 points.
It was the fewest points the Knicks have scored in a game this season.
“Obviously I missed a lot of shots,” Brunson said. “We missed shots as a team as well.
“(The Pistons) played (Thursday night). We had a day off. Obviously we traveled. But there’s no excuse for what happens prior to the game. You got to come here, you got to be professional, you got to do your job. But we just didn’t do our job well enough tonight.”
New York, which entered Friday’s contest on an eight-game winning streak, played without Karl-Anthony Towns (right eye laceration) and OG Anunoby (right toe soreness). In addition, Josh Hart appeared to reinjure his right ankle. Hart limped off the court in the third quarter and didn’t return.
The Sunday game will be the third of four meetings between the Knicks and Celtics this season. The home team won each of the first two games.
The Knicks outscored the Celtics 42-12 in the second quarter en route to a 105-95 victory on Oct. 24, and Boston received 42 points from Jaylen Brown when the Celtics prevailed 123-117 on Dec. 2.
