The Boston Celtics saw their postseason hopes take a turn following Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury, but that didn't stop the defending champions from taking Game 5 at TD Garden and forcing this series to shift back to Madison Square Garden on Friday night.
The New York Knicks have all the pressure on their shoulders to close this series in six games. Even without Tatum in the lineup, the last thing Tom Thibodeau would want is his team to be forced to ship it up to Boston for a do-or-die Game 7. With that being the case, Celtics fans should expect to see the Knicks' best effort this evening.
Should the Celtics fail to advance out of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Brad Stevens and the rest of the front office will be forced to make several difficult decisions. With new ownership coming in, and the largest luxury tax bill in the history of the league staring Boston in its face, moves will be made to lessen the financial burden facing the franchise moving forward.
Celtics Must Kick Porzingis to Curb if Boston Loses Knicks Series
Kristaps Porzingis has been in and out of this series as he continues to deal with the illness that has impacted him throughout the stretch run of the regular season and into the playoffs. Suggesting the Celtics should move on from him because of that alone is beyond harsh, as he is effective when able to participate.
When you consider he is on the books for just over $30 million for the 2025-26 season, though, the fact that he has been in and out of the lineup for so long has to make Stevens, as well as the fans in Boston, wonder just how reliable he will be moving forward.
Again, these are the type of financial decisions that will be raised this summer. With Tatum, likely, to be sidelined for the bulk of the 2025-26 regular season campaign, does it make sense for Boston to spend upwards of $500 million to keep this roster intact? Only Stevens and the rest of the Celtics' brain trust can answer that question but it will be something to watch if Boston's postseason run comes to an end at the hands of its division rival.