Celtics-Knicks Game 5 Review: Children of the Korn(et)

Without their brightest star, Jayson Tatum, the Boston Celtics dominated the New York Knicks in the second half of Wednesday night's ECSF Game 5. That was after keeping things tight with the Knicks during the first half with efficient scoring. Rapid ball movement caused New York's defense to be put in mismatches and confusion. Boston's defense swarmed around the floor like killer bees, doubling on whoever had the ball and flying towards the ball to prevent shooting opportunities.

The Celtics played at a level that the Knicks couldn't match on Wednesday. The defense became more suffocating, giving the Knicks no hope of making another comeback to end the series. Their offense swung the basketball around with superb execution and at an unpredictable pace. With their star playmakers, along with two unsung players playing in sync with each other on the court, the Celtics may have shifted the turning point of this series.

The one time in this series that the Knicks were favored to win. The Celtics reminded everyone that they are the defending world champions for a reason. Reminding everyone how they once again became one of the top-tier franchises in professional sports. Four of the Celtics' starters scored in double digits during game five. That included Derrick White leading the scoreboard with 34 points for the night.

Two players came off the bench to contribute hugely to Boston's rampage against New York. Point guard Payton Pritchard and center Luke Kornet scored in double digits for the night, too. Pritchard had extended playing time with 39 minutes on the floor, and the top of his to-do list for the night was to guard Jalen Brunson. He did a decent job of slowing down Brunson, limiting him to 22 points for the night on just 17 shooting attempts.

While Kristap Porzingis' struggles continue, Kornet filled in for him masterfully. Ending his night with 10 points, nine rebounds, seven blocks, and a steal in the 26 minutes he played. It might be a good idea for the Celtics to put Kornet in the game more to give themselves a better chance of forcing a Game 7.

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