Celtics Blew Their Chance at the No. 2 Seed and Now They're Chasing the Knicks Into Friday

Boston had it right there for the taking. The Celtics could have locked up the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs Thursday night against New York, but instead they watched the Knicks score nine of the final 11 points and walk out of Madison Square Garden with a 112-106 victory. Now Boston (54-26) heads into Friday night against New Orleans knowing they still have a path, but it got a whole lot more complicated.

Here's the math: the Celtics and Knicks each have two games left to play. Any Boston win or any New York loss gets the Celtics the No. 2 seed. The Knicks are hosting Toronto on Friday night, which means Boston needs to handle their business against a Pelicans team that came into the season expecting to be in the playoffs conversation, except New Orleans is already out and wrapping up one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

Baylor Scheierman Showed Up When It Mattered Most

The one bright spot for Boston in Thursday's loss? Baylor Scheierman went absolutely off. Without leading scorer Jaylen Brown sidelined by left Achilles tendinitis, Scheierman made 6 of 7 from three-point range and tied his career high with 20 points. Coach Joe Mazzulla made sure to point out it wasn't just the shooting either. "Whether it's his crashing or his defense, but his instincts on both ends," Mazzulla said. "He just continues to get better and better, and that's what we need."

Jayson Tatum, meanwhile, put up 24 points with 13 rebounds and 8 assists in his first game back at New York since rupturing his right Achilles tendon in a playoff game there last season. "It was a big moment, a big hurdle for me," Tatum said. "I was nervous and anxious to come back here." He got the job done, but it wasn't enough.

Pelicans Playing Out the String With Nothing Left

New Orleans comes in ice cold and getting colder by the day. The Pelicans are missing the playoffs for the second straight season and have already ruled out Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, and Saddiq Bey for Friday's game. They're down to basically a tank at this point, though rookie Jeremiah Fears lit up Utah on Tuesday with 40 points in a 156-137 blowout win, setting a franchise record for points scored. Fears, the seventh overall pick in 2025, hit 17 of 29 shots and showed New Orleans fans what the future might look like. Coach James Borrego said Fears has "taken a massive step" since training camp.

Friday night is just another game for the Pelicans as they wrap up their season Sunday in Minnesota. For Boston? It's a must-win if they want to stop looking over their shoulder at the Knicks.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.