Latest York (United States), 23 March 2026 – The fight to grab second place in the Eastern Conference NBA behind the Pistons, the only team in the East already certain of a place in the next playoffs. They are paired at 47 victories at the moment Boston Celtics and New York Knicks (the green and whites are second because they have played one less game), who emerged from the night just spent with opposite moods.

Knicks Continue Dominant Run

The “Big Apple” franchise is smiling, sweeping away the Washington Wizards with an overwhelming 145-113 and achieving their sixth victory in a row. The Knicks took control of the momentum in the second quarter with a 36-25 run and never looked back, scoring 40 points in the final 12′ and being carried away by the excellent performances of Karl-Anthony Towns (26 points and 16 rebounds) and Jalen Brunson (23 points).

Celtics Fall to Timberwolves

However, the Boston Celtics fell in a big match, defeated at home by the Minnesota Timberwolves with a clear 102-92. Despite the fourth consecutive absence of star Anthony Edwards (dealing with inflammation in his left knee) and a tricky start (-15 at the start of the second quarter), the T-Wolves managed to come out on top by capturing 44 defensive rebounds. Bones Hyland led the scoreboard for the Minneapolis franchise with 23 points, and, together with McDaniels (19 points), Dosunmu (17 points and 8 rebounds) and Gobert (14 points), fueled a comeback culminating in a 26-15 score in the fourth quarter.

Other Eastern Conference Results

The Toronto Raptors suffered their second defeat in a row, losing 120-98 at home to the Phoenix Suns. A victory that never seemed in question, as the Suns started with a 34-20 lead and gradually increased their tally up to +31, finishing with six players in double figures. Devin Booker led the Suns with 25 points (9/15 from the field) and Jalen Green with 20.

Western Conference Highlights

The Denver Nuggets achieved a great success at the expense of the Portland Trail Blazers, overcoming them 128-112. After a crackling first quarter (42-40 for Denver with seven triples scored by both), the Nuggets slowly gained the upper hand in the third quarter, scoring a 32-24 lead. Nikola Jokic’s thirty-fifth double-double of the season illuminated the path for Denver, finishing with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists. Jamal Murray also reached 22 points.

The Sacramento Kings also got the better of the Brooklyn Nets 126-122, with Malik Monk scoring 32 points, including 10 in the last 5′.

“Everybody is so talented offensively. You just got to try to locate ways to generate more possessions,”

Knicks coach Mike Brown

Key Takeaways

• The Knicks are making a strong push for the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
• The Celtics are facing challenges and need to find consistency.
• The Timberwolves demonstrated resilience despite key player absences.