The Boston Celtics delivered a powerful performance to trounce the New York Knicks 115-91 in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series Saturday afternoon, taking a 2-1 lead.

Boston’s Dominant Display

The Celtics, led by a balanced attack, opened the game with an impressive display of perimeter shooting, draining six of their seven three-point attempts in the first quarter. They finished the game shooting 20-40 (50%) from beyond the arc, a significant improvement from their previous 25% accuracy in the series.

Defensively, the Celtics were stifling, recording several critical blocks and limiting the Knicks to just 46 points in the first half. They consistently pushed their lead to 30 points or more in the third quarter and never allowed New York to challenge for the lead.

Celtics’ Scoring Leaders

Jaylen Brown paced the Celtics with 19 points, including 17 in the first half. Payton Pritchard, off the bench, contributed 23 points, while Jayson Tatum and Derrick White added 22 and 17 points, respectively.

New York’s Silent Offense

In defeat, Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 27 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns registered 21 points and 15 rebounds. Josh Hart, who scored 23 points in the previous game, was held to just 10 points on Saturday.

Mitchell Robinson struggled from the free-throw line, hitting only 4 of 12 attempts.

The Road Ahead

Teams from outside the home market have won all six games in the Eastern Conference second round so far. The series shifts back to Madison Square Garden for Game 4 on Monday, with the Knicks hoping to square the series.

New York last reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2000, and they’ll be determined to end that drought.