Tom Thibodeau got a nice birthday present.
Celebrating his 63rd Sunday, the coach’s Knicks obliterated the Celtics, 105-75, snapping a five-game losing streak in shockingly emphatic fashion.
The Celtics (8-4) entered the game on a five-game winning streak and as the top team in the Eastern Conference, albeit without their best player, Jayson Tatum, who was quarantining after testing positive for COVID-19. They were a mess against the Knicks (6-8), who never trailed and led by as many as 37.
It was the first time the Knicks held an opponent to under 80 points since 2016.
Immanuel Quickley was again strong off the bench, scoring 17 points in 21 minutes with eight assists. Fellow rookie Obi Toppin had his best game of his short NBA career with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 14 minutes. Julius Randle continued his All-Star production with 20 points and 12 boards in 31 minutes.
Boston guard Kemba Walker made his season debut after rehabbing his ailing knee, but he was rusty and ineffective while managing just nine points on 3-of-13 shooting in 20 minutes.
The Knicks have now beat the two best teams in the East this season, the Celtics and the Bucks.
