Celtics vs Knicks Match Player Stats: Full April 9, 2026 Box Score, Top Performers and Game Breakdown

Celtics vs Knicks match player stats tell the story of a close, exciting game at Madison Square Garden on April 9, 2026. The latest completed chapter of the historic Celtics–Knicks rivalry ended with New York beating Boston 112–106, but the final score does not show how tight the battle was until the closing minutes. Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, Jayson Tatum, Payton Pritchard, and several other players all had important moments.

Quick Match Facts

The Knicks entered the night at 51–28 and improved to 52–28, while Boston moved to 54–26 after the defeat. New York was still chasing Boston for the No. 2 position in the Eastern Conference, which gave the game extra importance.

Celtics vs Knicks Match Player Stats

Here are the most important numbers from the game. New York received balanced production from its starters, while Boston got a big boost from its bench.

New York Knicks Player Stats

New York shot 53.8% from the field and made 15 of its 35 three-point attempts. The Knicks also recorded 29 assists while turning the ball over only seven times, giving them an efficient offensive night.

Boston Celtics Player Stats

Boston finished at 45% from the field and made 16 three-pointers. The Celtics collected 42 rebounds compared with New York’s 30, but the Knicks were more efficient with their shots and committed fewer turnovers.

How the Celtics vs Knicks Game Unfolded

This was not a game where one team ran away early.

Boston actually won the first quarter 29–26. New York answered by taking the second quarter 28–24, leaving the Knicks with a narrow 54–53 advantage at halftime.

Boston then produced 30 points in the third quarter. New York scored 27, which meant the Celtics entered the final period holding an 83–81 advantage.

Everything changed in the fourth.

The Knicks scored 31 points in the final quarter, while Boston managed only 23. That eight-point difference was enough to turn a two-point Celtics advantage into a six-point Knicks victory.

Josh Hart Became the Fourth-Quarter Hero

If one player defined the ending, it was Josh Hart.

Hart finished with a game-high 26 points, but the most important number was 15. That is how many points he scored during the fourth quarter.

His shooting was excellent as well. Hart made 10 of 15 shots overall and an impressive five of seven attempts from three-point range.

The game remained extremely close late. Boston still held a one-point lead with less than two minutes left.

Then New York finished the game with a 9–2 run. Hart scored eight of those nine points, including two late three-pointers that helped put Boston away.

That is why the box score means more when you look at when Hart scored his points. His biggest baskets came when the Knicks needed them most.

Jalen Brunson Controlled the Knicks Offense

Hart supplied the late scoring, but Jalen Brunson helped keep New York’s offense moving all night.

Brunson recorded 25 points and 10 assists, giving him a double-double. He made 10 of his 19 field-goal attempts and committed only one turnover.

Ten assists are especially important here.

An assist happens when a player’s pass directly leads to a teammate making a basket. Brunson was therefore creating points not only with his own shooting but also by putting teammates in good positions.

Hart and Brunson combined for 51 points.

That backcourt production placed enormous pressure on Boston’s defense.

Karl-Anthony Towns Did the Work Inside

Karl-Anthony Towns did not lead New York in scoring, but his numbers were still very important.

He finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and four assists. He also made six of 12 field-goal attempts and all three of his free throws.

Towns was New York’s leading rebounder.

Boston had a clear team advantage on the boards, so Towns’ 12 rebounds helped prevent that difference from becoming even larger.

The center also had two steals, showing that his impact was not limited to scoring.

Mikal Bridges Was Almost Perfect

Mikal Bridges had one of the strangest-looking stat lines of the game.

He scored only 10 points, yet he did not miss a field-goal attempt. Bridges went 4-for-4 overall and 2-for-2 from three-point range. He also added six assists.

That gave him a team-best plus-17 rating.

Plus-minus shows what happened to the score while a player was on the court. It is not a perfect way to judge an individual player, but Bridges’ +17 gives an idea of how well New York performed during his minutes.

Jayson Tatum Filled the Box Score

Jayson Tatum led Boston with 24 points, but his performance was about much more than scoring.

He grabbed 13 rebounds and handed out eight assists, leaving him only two assists short of a triple-double. Tatum also recorded one steal and one block.

His shooting, however, was difficult.

Tatum made seven of 22 field-goal attempts and only two of 10 three-pointers. He also committed six turnovers.

Those missed shots and turnovers mattered in such a close contest.

The game carried another personal storyline for Tatum. It was his first game back on the Madison Square Garden floor since suffering an Achilles injury there during the previous postseason.

Payton Pritchard Gave Boston 23 Points

Payton Pritchard almost matched Tatum’s scoring total.

Coming off Boston’s bench, Pritchard produced 23 points, six assists and three rebounds in 36 minutes. He made 10 of 20 shots and three of eight attempts from beyond the arc.

That was an important contribution because several Boston starters struggled to score efficiently.

Derrick White, for example, finished with eight points after making only two of 10 field-goal attempts.

Baylor Scheierman Was Boston’s Surprise Performer

One of the most impressive stat lines belonged to Baylor Scheierman.

He scored 20 points in 30 minutes off the bench while shooting an incredible seven of eight from the field. Six of those makes came from three-point range.

Scheierman missed only one shot all night.

Boston’s own game report highlighted his shooting and noted that he made five of six threes after halftime, including all three of his attempts in the fourth quarter.

For a reserve player, that was a huge performance.

Team Stats Explain Why New York Won

The rebounding numbers initially make Boston’s loss seem surprising.

The Celtics won the rebounding battle 42–30 and collected 13 offensive rebounds. New York had only five offensive boards.

But basketball games are not decided by rebounds alone.

New York shot 43-for-80, good for 53.8%. Boston went 38-for-84, or about 45%. The Knicks therefore scored more efficiently despite taking fewer shots.

New York also committed only seven turnovers compared with Boston’s 10.

That gave the Knicks fewer wasted possessions.

The Knicks had 29 assists, while Boston recorded 23. New York also finished with nine steals compared with Boston’s four.

In a six-point game, those small differences added up quickly.

The Final Two Minutes Changed Everything

Sometimes an NBA game can be close for 46 minutes and then completely change in less than two.

That is what happened here.

Boston held a one-point lead with under two minutes remaining. New York then closed the game on a 9–2 run.

Hart attacked for a layup and then hit important three-pointers. Nikola Vučević briefly brought Boston back within three points, but Hart answered again with another big basket.

That short stretch decided the night.

The Celtics had played well enough to stay close, but New York executed better in the most important possessions.

Celtics vs Knicks Quarter-by-Quarter Score

Boston won two of the first three quarters, but New York’s 31-point fourth quarter became the difference.

What Stands Out Most From the Player Stats?

The Celtics vs Knicks match player stats show two very different paths to production.

Boston had three players score 20 or more points: Tatum with 24, Pritchard with 23 and Scheierman with 20. New York had Hart with 26 and Brunson with 25, while Towns, Anunoby and Bridges all reached double figures.

Boston also controlled the glass.

Yet New York’s shooting efficiency, low turnover count and late execution proved more valuable.

Hart’s fourth quarter was the clearest example. He did not simply finish as the game’s highest scorer. He produced his biggest points at exactly the moment New York needed them.

That turned a close game into a memorable Knicks victory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the Celtics vs Knicks game on April 9, 2026?

The New York Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics 112–106 at Madison Square Garden.

Who scored the most points in Celtics vs Knicks?

Josh Hart led all players with 26 points. He made 10 of 15 shots and five three-pointers.

How many points did Jalen Brunson score?

Jalen Brunson scored 25 points and also recorded 10 assists.

How many points did Jayson Tatum score?

Jayson Tatum led Boston with 24 points. He added 13 rebounds and eight assists.

Who had the most rebounds?

Jayson Tatum had a game-high 13 rebounds. Karl-Anthony Towns led New York with 12.

Which Celtics bench player had the best shooting night?

Baylor Scheierman scored 20 points while making seven of eight shots, including six of seven three-pointers.

What was the biggest reason the Knicks won?

New York shot more efficiently and produced a strong fourth quarter. The Knicks outscored Boston 31–23 in the final period, with Josh Hart scoring 15 fourth-quarter points.

Where was the Celtics vs Knicks game played?

The game was played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 9, 2026.

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