One of my favorite parts of covering Celtics games is pulling out my binoculars from the media seating at TD Garden and combing the court-side seating to spot celebrities in attendance.
Here in Boston it is usually a smattering of team owners, other pro athletes, an occasional athlete or singer, and a bunch of people we couldn’t pick out of a lineup.
But in New York … baby, the stars are out. Which makes for a hilarious afternoon for our very talented Globe photographers, who are capturing typical moments from the game — but with a celebrity twist.
Like this one from my friend Danielle Parhizkaran:
Jrue Holiday celebrates in front of actor Timothée Chalamet at Madison Square Garden.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
My man Timothée Chalamet flew all the way from Italy, where he was spotted this week with girlfriend Kylie Jenner, to dress in Knicks blue and watch his team lose. And he and actor Tracy Morgan got an up-close-and-personal view of Jrue Holiday hitting the very millennial (I’m allowed to say that … we’re the same age) “Dr. Evil” celebration after sinking a three.
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Nothing funnier than seeing celebs get their hearts broken in real time. They’re really just like us.
Let’s get into it.
About last night and what’s on deck
Boston got out to a 7-point lead midway through the first quarter and never looked back, taking a wire-to-wire blowout victory over the Knicks, 115-93, to silence the MSG crowd.
Yes, the Celtics found their touch from three. They went 20 for 40 from the arc, regaining the form they desperately searched for in Games 1 and 2.
But it was players like Payton Pritchard (a team-high 23 points) and Derrick White (17 points, five rebounds) and Al Horford (15 points, nine rebounds) who delivered this victory for Boston.
Jaylen Brown (19 points) and Jayson Tatum (22 points) combined for 12 assists and 15 rebounds, showing how balanced this team can be.
“We’re on a path of trying to go after greatness, and you don’t get to dictate the test that’s in front of you,” coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game. “All you get to dictate is how you approach it and how you respond to it. If you plan on doing this for a long time, trust me, it’ll be a lot worse than the last 72 hours, and that’s the perspective you have to have.”
It’s like a renaissance painting.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Here’s what else went down on Saturday …
🏒 Cue the Bob Lobel line: Why can’t we get guys like that? Former Bruin Reilly Smith scored with .4 seconds — yes, you read that right! — on the clock to win Game 3 for the Vegas Golden Knights over the Oilers in Edmonton to gain the edge in that series.
🏒 The Hurricanes finally turned it on midway through the second period to blank the Capitals, 4-0, to make that series 2-1.
🏒 On today: The Jets play the Stars in Game 3 in Dallas at 4:30 p.m. (TBS) and Brad Marchand and the Panthers look to even their series against the Maple Leafs at 7:30 p.m. in Florida (TBS).
🏀 Anthony Edwards (36 points) and Julius Randle (24 points) took over in the fourth quarter against the Warriors to take Game 3, 102-97, and a 2-1 lead.
🏀 The Thunder will look to even their series against the Nuggets at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon (ABC) followed by Game 4 of Pacers-Cavaliers at 8 p.m. (TNT).
Up next: The Celtics will look to even their series on Monday when they take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Tara Sullivan on Saturday’s vibes
Jayson Tatum lays it in in the first half.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Globe columnist Tara Sullivan worked for decades in the New York market before joining us at the Globe. She knows what Knicks fans are like. We asked her about the vibe at MSG on Saturday.
Katie: You’ve covered lots of events at Madison Square Garden. I know it’s only the second round, but how did it compare to other games you’ve seen at the arena?Tara:
The energy both inside and outside the Garden Saturday was palpable. The crowd was so loud from the opening tip, and the sidelines were predictably studded with famous fans, all of it making sure you knew this wasn’t just a game, but an event.
That’s how it is with big sports events at the iconic building, where I’ve been lucky enough to see Stanley Cup games, NCAA regional finals, Big East tournaments, and even track meets.
But the Knicks are their heart and soul, and when the game started, you could feel that, like the fans were so ready to will the team to a win if they could. But the Celtics were too good, and made sure the energy eventually wilted. All that being said, the atmosphere was fantastic.
Katie: What’s your prediction for the rest of the series?
Tara: I think the Celtics have righted their ship and don’t lose again. They have yet to even play their best game and should be up 3-0. Saturday’s win, this one with a 20-point lead they managed to protect, really illustrated the talent and depth gap between the two rosters.
Read Tara Sullivan’s column from Saturday’s game here.
Can we please be serious for a minute?
Mitchell Robinson was 4 for 12 from the free-throw line in Game 3.Pamela Smith/Associated Press
I believe very strongly in free throws. As my dad often reminded me during my youth basketball days, it’s the only shot you’re taking where no one is guarding you. You should not miss. You should especially not miss if you get paid to play this sport.
Which brings me to Mitchell Robinson. Robinson, the Knicks center, is a lifetime 52.2 percent free-throw shooter. He gets even worse in the playoffs, averaging 34.2 percent from the line — and a mediocre 28.9 percent during this postseason.
The Celtics have been trying to take advantage of this very obvious, embarrassing, simple-to-solve weakness by fouling the daylights out of Robinson, with or without the ball. Smart.
And Robinson, for his part, seems upset every time he has to go to the line. He knows he’s bad. Buddy, get in the gym! Work on this!
Which brings me to ESPN, particularly their social media team, who had one of the most ridiculous posts I’ve seen thus far in the playoffs.
Robinson was getting plenty of support every time he had to head to the line on Saturday. But this … this made me burst out laughing.
Bigger than basketball? As one social media user adeptly put it: “It’s literally basketball.”
There is nothing bigger going on here. It is a grown man getting paid millions of dollars who won’t hit the gym and work on his form. Come on!
OK, rant over. Carry on.
Three stories you shouldn’t miss
Payton Pritchard scored a team-high 23 points.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
🗣️ ‘Who cares what the outside world is saying?’ Plenty of folks on talk radio and television skewered the Celtics for their decisions in Games 1 and 2. Game 3 showed why Boston’s belief in itself didn’t waver.
🏀 Pritch shows up: After getting squished out of the rotation in Games 1 and 2, Payton Pritchard saw big minutes — and delivered. He was the Celtics’ leading scorer and nailed five threes.
🏆 Staying balanced: Gary Washburn writes the Celtics showed the poise of champions — which they are, don’t forget! — in how they attacked the Knicks.
Katie McInerney can be reached at katie.mcinerney@globe.com. Follow her @k8tmac.