Jayson Tatum was clearly motivated by the presence of celebrities like Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Carmelo Anthony, and Stephon Marbury at Madison Square Garden on a snowy New York night.

With the eyes of the basketball world watching, the Celtics had another chance to showcase their championship credentials against a tough opponent.

This wasn’t just any game; it was in New York, not Cleveland, and Tatum was determined to bounce back from his lackluster showing against the Dallas Mavericks.

Right from the opening 48 seconds of the first quarter, Tatum set the tone. After receiving a pass from Derrick White and using a screen from Luke Kornet, he outmaneuvered Karl-Anthony Towns with a deceptive move, leaving Precious Achiuwa as the last defender.

Tatum then powerfully dunked the ball, marking the first points of the game and setting the stage for his exceptional performance.

Tatum’s 40-point game, especially his 18 in the third quarter, was a spectacle. He danced with the crowd’s energy, sinking three-pointers, exploiting the Knicks’ double teams to drive or pass to open teammates.

His ability to navigate and dismantle the defense tailored to stop him was impressive, and his teammates complemented his efforts beautifully.

This dominant 131-104 victory over the Knicks, even without key players like Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, underscored the Celtics as the Eastern Conference’s top team and confirmed Tatum’s status as an elite player.

Despite recent signs of fatigue as the All-Star Break approached, Tatum shone brightly when it mattered most, suggesting that the Knicks’ strategy to contain him with Mikal Bridges might not be the game-changer they hoped for.

“Besides Boston, this is probably the best place to play,” Tatum said of New York. “They got, you know, all the celebrities. They also have an edge about them. They know basketball. They’re passionate. They chant, and they’re cheering the whole time. So, it’s a special place to play.

“We lost last game, and finding out [Porzingis] was out right before the game. We knew it was going to be a challenge. I saw Denzel Washington sitting courtside, so I was excited about that.”

Even though Brad Stevens, president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics, was relatively quiet at the trade deadline with just one minor move, he expressed confidence in the team’s depth when everyone is performing well. The Celtics’ performance on Saturday was a testament to this, and it’s a promising sign that their consistency is becoming more reliable.

If Luke Kornet were a quarterback, his performance would equate to a perfect passer rating of 158.3. He went 7-for-7 from the field, blocked three shots, and grabbed 12 rebounds, just one shy of his career best. The Celtics have been hoping for Kornet to toughen up his game, showing a bit more edge like Nicky Santoro from “Casino” rather than his usual Mr. Rogers persona.

This might have been Kornet’s best game as a Celtic, signaling he can be trusted with significant playing time, especially in the absence of Kristaps Porzingis. With 29 games left in the season, the Celtics have a chance to address their deficiencies, help players who’ve been struggling to find their form, and build greater team confidence and unity.

“It was obviously a game that the guys wanted,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “It should be that way but at the same time we have to do the same thing 36 hours or whatever it is from now (against Miami). It was a great environment and I thought the guys kind of relished in that and stuck together.”

One takeaway from this victory was that it left the Knicks just as perplexed as they were when the Celtics hit 29 three-pointers to rout them in the season opener.

The Knicks had made notable offseason acquisitions, including trading for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, and re-signing OG Anunoby, who was sidelined for Saturday’s game with a foot injury.

Despite having 3½ months to prepare since their last encounter and four days to rest, the Knicks demonstrated they still have a considerable gap to close if they aim to be among the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

“”We have a lot of work to do. As simple as that,” Towns said. “There’s no sugarcoating. There’s no moral wins. This is something we have to work on. We got to find a way to beat teams like tonight. That’s a team that is in the race. They want to be in the race as much as we do to win a championship but for them, it’s another one. A back-to-back. Like I said, championship teams are great teams, in my experience. They test your discipline and that’s something that we have to work on.”

With only two games remaining before the All-Star Break – against Miami and San Antonio – Saturday’s game demonstrated that the Celtics are nearing full strength as they head into this well-deserved respite. They’ve successfully navigated two recent challenges, including a standout performance at basketball’s iconic venue. It was heartening to see the Celtics exhibit their championship qualities under the spotlight.

The challenge now is to maintain that level of performance even when the stakes aren’t as high.

Jimmy Butler has one thing he wishes he could change about his rocky split from the Miami Heat. And surprisingly, it’s not related to basketball at all.

“Only one,” Butler told reporters on Thursday at his Warriors introductory press conference. “I just opened my coffee shop in Miami and can’t go there anymore.”

Following a public dispute with the Heat and a tense trade situation with Golden State, Jimmy Butler decided to put his differences behind him. He inked a two-year extension with the Warriors, securing his place with the team until the 2026-27 season after being traded at the deadline.

On the hardwood, this deal pairs him with Golden State’s star, Steph Curry, who’s also committed to the Warriors through the same season.

Away from basketball, this move gives Butler the opportunity to expand his signature coffee shop to the West Coast.

“So, we’re going to have to figure out a way to get one in San [Francisco],” Butler quipped.

Jimmy Butler, who has been named an All-Star six times, took the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals on two occasions and reached the Eastern Conference Finals three times during his five-year tenure there.

However, this season has been tumultuous for Butler with the Heat, as he was suspended twice, the second time indefinitely, for breaking several team rules.

In the 25 games he played this year, Butler’s performance dipped to an average of 17 points per game, marking his lowest scoring since the 2013-14 season, alongside 5.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

A move to Golden State could rejuvenate both Butler’s career and the spirits of the Warriors’ fans, while also potentially expanding his coffee business westward.

Kerr disappointed by ‘obvious’ missed call in Warriors’ loss

There are moments when a missed call is so obvious that it’s beyond debate, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed his strong feelings about an overlooked eight-second violation in the last minute of Golden State’s 120-112 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

“I saw an eight-second violation,” Kerr told reporters. “It was pretty obvious. So, very disappointing it wasn’t called.”

Draymond Green was visibly upset with the missed call, fervently arguing with the officials after the Warriors weren’t given the ball for what should have been a turnover. At that point, Golden State was only six points behind, with a good chance to turn the game around.

Although Kerr showed his frustration, he made it clear that the missed call wasn’t the sole reason for the Warriors’ defeat on Thursday.

“When you allow five home-run passes over the top with no defensive awareness for 10 points, you don’t deserve to win,” Kerr told reporters. “Loved our fight in the second half. Loved the way the guys competed. That’s the way it’s going to have to feel like the rest of the season. We got to bring that level of energy but we have to add the awareness and the feel of not giving up the easy stuff when it comes to transition, pick-six passes, fouling when they’re in the bonus. They shot 36 free throws tonight. Too many plays that gave them easy points and that was the difference in the game.”

The Warriors experienced their second consecutive loss on Thursday, slipping below a .500 record and falling to the 11th seed in the Western Conference.

Bringing in six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler might just be the jolt Golden State needs to push for a playoff spot as they grapple with significant team challenges.

Even with their own problems to solve, being on the receiving end of critical missed calls in tight games can be incredibly frustrating for seasoned NBA coaches and players alike, as evidenced by Thursday’s game.

With the NBA trade deadline set for Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, the New York Knicks find themselves in a promising spot, having won seven of their last eight games and with good news about Mitchell Robinson’s injury recovery.

A notable development from their recent victories over Houston and Toronto is the increased playing time for rookie Ariel Hukporti.

Coach Tom Thibodeau inserted him into the game early against the Raptors, where he contributed six points and five rebounds in 19 minutes, while veteran Jericho Sims barely played.

Fans have been vocal about wanting Hukporti to play ahead of Sims all season. Although the rookie has much to learn, he can’t do so effectively from the sidelines.

He’s not expected to play 20 minutes each night, but with the Knicks needing frontcourt depth until Robinson’s return, Hukporti’s role seems justified. Sims, who has been with the Knicks since 2021, hasn’t shown he merits a consistent rotation spot.

This situation suggests the Knicks might look to make a trade. With Sims set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, there’s little urgency for New York to re-sign him.

Jericho Sims’ time with the Knicks could be coming to an end

On Tuesday, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that Jericho Sims has caught the attention of teams like the Lakers, Clippers, and Bucks.

Sims’ trade value is estimated to be around one or two second-round picks. At this point, it makes more sense for the Knicks to trade him rather than lose him for nothing when he becomes a free agent.

However, the Knicks face a complex situation. Mitchell Robinson was given the green light for contact on Monday, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready for game action immediately. He’s been out since last May due to ankle surgery, and conditioning will take time.

There have also been whispers about trading Robinson himself. James L. Edwards III from The Athletic mentioned that league sources thought the Knicks were “open” to moving him, though this might have shifted since Robinson’s medical clearance. Alternatively, the Knicks might look to move Sims’ expiring contract to gain more frontcourt support.

Fortunately, fans won’t have to wait long to see what the Knicks decide, with trading Sims seeming like part of the plan.