Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics suffered a brutal 91-90 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 2 on Wednesday night. This of course had NBA legend Shaq make fun of how they collapsed in the contest.
The Celtics boasted a 20-point lead in the second half against the Knicks, leading 70-50 with four minutes remaining in the third quarter. They went ice cold after that, only scoring 20 points as New York completed the rally to steal another win in the series.
O'Neal reacted to the loss after the game. While the NBA on TNT crew believed that the Celtics won't change their identity because of the multiple shots they missed, O'Neal responded with a humorous joke.
“You know what rhymes with ‘what they do' Ernie? Down 0-2,” O'Neal said.
Shaq: “You know what rhymes with ‘what they do' Ernie?”
“Down 0-2” 😂 pic.twitter.com/HDvWesAky6
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 8, 2025
What's next for Celtics after Game 2 loss
Article Continues Below
Shaq is right about one thing: Jayson Tatum and the Celtics being down 2-0 against the Knicks is not a good look for a team that wants to shoot the 3-pointer at a high volume.
Boston made NBA history in Game 1 when they took 60 attempts from downtown. However, they missed 45 times as it was clear they didn't have the usual rhythm to make those shots in the loss. In Game 2, they took less as they went 10-of-40 but the accuracy remained the same as they failed to make big plays down the stretch.
Four players scored in double-digits on Boston's behalf. Derrick White led the way as he finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists. He shot 6-of-17 from the field, including 3-of-11 from beyond the arc, and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. Jaylen Brown came next with 20 points and six rebounds, Tatum had 13 points and 14 rebounds, while Jrue Holiday provided 10 points and five assists.
The Celtics will look to bounce back when they face the Knicks in Game 3. The contest will take place on May 10 at 3:30 p.m. ET.