Tatum-less Celtics rout Knicks to force Game 6

The Boston Celtics kept their season alive with a commanding 127-102 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

“I believe in this group,” Jaylen Brown said, according to the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn. “Don’t count us out just yet.”

The Celtics were without All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum, who ruptured his right Achilles in Game 4.

“That was for JT,” Brown said after the win.

Derrick White picked it up in Tatum’s absence, posting a game-high 34 points and splashing in seven threes. Luke Kornet chipped in with 10 points, nine rebounds, and seven blocks.

“You never want to be without any of your players, especially one of your best ones, but we’ve gotten plenty of reps at that,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said, according to Forbes’ Bobby Krivitsky.

Mazzulla added, “We have multiple identities at both ends of the floor.”

Six Celtics players scored in double digits, and the team hit 22 threes.

“It’s win or go home at this moment,” White said, per The Athletic’s Jay King. “And none of us want to go home.”

The Knicks were led by Josh Hart who put up 24 points. Jalen Brunson added in 22 before fouling out early in the fourth quarter.

The contest was tied at halftime, but Boston eventually broke through by outscoring New York 68-43 in the second half.

“We did what was necessary to do what we needed to do to get back to New York,” Mazzulla said, according to WEEI’s Tom Carroll. “Made winning plays on both ends of the floor, each guy. Everybody in that locker room has another layer that they can get to, and they did that as the game went on.”

Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis started the game but played just 12 minutes and sat out the second half as he continues to battle an illness.

Mazzulla said Porzingis “couldn’t breathe,” per King.

The Knicks, who lead the series 3-2, will get another chance to close it out Friday in Game 6.

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