Celtics drop thriller to Knicks in Jayson Tatum's return to New York

Despite a near-triple-double by Tatum, Boston falls 112-106 in a close game at Madison Square Garden.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 2:08am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game in motion, with fragmented shapes and planes of vibrant green, white, gold, orange, and blue colors representing the competing teams.The Celtics' late-game push falls short against the Knicks in a tightly contested battle for playoff positioning.Boston Today

The Boston Celtics couldn't capitalize on a chance to clinch the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, losing to the New York Knicks 112-106 in a thriller at Madison Square Garden. Jayson Tatum played a season-high 40 minutes and finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists, but shot the ball poorly and had 6 turnovers. Payton Pritchard (23 points) and Baylor Scheierman (20 points) had big games off the bench for the Celtics, who were missing top scorer Jaylen Brown due to Achilles tendonitis.

Why it matters

The loss was a missed opportunity for the Celtics to clinch the No. 2 seed in the East, as they look to hold off the third-place Knicks in the standings. Tatum's return to MSG also carried extra emotion, as he ruptured his Achilles at the arena last May. The game highlighted the Celtics' depth issues, with little offensive production from starters Derrick White and Sam Hauser.

The details

Despite Tatum's near-triple-double, the Celtics struggled to capitalize, shooting just 32.4% from the field in the first half. The Knicks built a double-digit lead in the third quarter, but the Celtics responded with a barrage of 3-pointers to take an 83-81 lead into the fourth. The game went down to the wire, with the Knicks making key shots late to seal the victory.

  • The game was played on Thursday, April 10, 2026.
  • Tatum ruptured his Achilles at Madison Square Garden last May.

The players

Jayson Tatum

A star forward for the Boston Celtics who played a season-high 40 minutes in the loss, finishing with 24 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists.

Payton Pritchard

A Celtics guard who came off the bench to score 23 points on 10-of-20 shooting.

Baylor Scheierman

A Celtics forward who also had a big game off the bench, scoring 20 points on 7-of-8 shooting.

Jaylen Brown

The Celtics' top scorer who missed the game due to Achilles tendonitis.

Joe Mazzulla

The Celtics' head coach, who was clearly unhappy with the officiating late in the first quarter.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“He looked good out there. Obviously a ton of emotions, but once the game started, he kind of got in a game flow.”

— Joe Mazzulla, Head Coach

What’s next

The Celtics can secure the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a win in either of their final two regular season games - at home against New Orleans on Friday or at home against Orlando on Sunday. Tatum is unlikely to play in the Pelicans game, as he is not yet cleared for back-to-backs.

The takeaway

This loss was a missed opportunity for the Celtics to solidify their position in the Eastern Conference standings, but it also highlighted the team's depth issues and Tatum's continued struggles in his return from the Achilles injury. The Celtics will need to regroup quickly as they head into the playoffs, where they will look to make a deep run.