The New York Knicks are poised to beat the Boston Celtics and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. They have a 3-2 lead. They won the first two games in Boston after the Celtics blew two straight 20-point leads. Now, Jayson Tatum is injured and won't be available for the rest of the playoffs. The stage is set for a Knicks win, but the Celtics won Game 5 in a blowout, and they have enough depth to come back and win the series.

One NBA personality thinks that if the Knicks somehow lose this series, it will be one of the biggest disappointments in NBA history due to all of the factors working in New York's favor and against Boston.

Kendrick Perkins said on ESPN's First Take about the series, “If the Knicks lose this series [vs. the Celtics], it will be one of the biggest disappointments in NBA history. … Boston is missing their best player in Jayson Tatum and you don't close this series out?”

He might exaggerate by comparing it to NBA history, but he's not wrong with his point. The Celtics could not have had more factors work against them in this series. They blew two 20-point leads at home, and their best player tore his Achilles. It will be an epic collapse if the Knicks don't hang on and win.

Game 5 was a 25-point win for the Celtics at home in Boston. They had 27 assists and shot 52.4% from the field. Six different Celtics scored double digits, with Derrick White scoring 34 points and Jaylen Brown second with 26 points.

Related New York Knicks NewsArticle continues below
Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) defend
Magic Johnson breaks down why the Knicks bested Celtics
Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) controls the ball from New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) in the second half during game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden.
Jaylen Brown makes brutal ‘feels like death’ admission after Knicks loss

The key for Boston is that they have no pressure. Tatum is the best player on a loaded roster, and while it hurts not having him, the ball can spread out more, and the movement helped them win Game 5.

Jaylen Brown is still the reigning NBA Finals MVP and is not scared of the Knicks either.

While it might be a stretch to say that this would be one of the biggest collapses in NBA history, as Perkins implied, it would still be a giant blow for the Knicks, especially for a franchise with a history of postseason disappointments.

The Knicks need Game 6 because if the series gets to Game 7 in Boston, all bets are off, and anything can happen.