NEW YORK (AP) — The Celtics' 3-point touch came back in Game 3, so the Knicks didn't.
Jayson Tatum had 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, Payton Pritchard scored 23 points and Boston easily got its first win in the Eastern Conference semifinals by routing New York 115-93 on Saturday.
Click to Gallery
New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson, center, drives to the basket between Boston Celtics' Derrick White, left, and Jayson Tatum, right, during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, left, knocks over New York Knicks' Josh Hart, right, during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Knicks' Cameron Payne, left, and Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, right, battle for the ball during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson, center, drives to the basket between Boston Celtics' Derrick White, left, and Jayson Tatum, right, during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Knicks' Cameron Payne, right, shoots over Boston Celtics' Luke Kornet, center, during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum reacts after shooting a 3-point basket during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
The Celtics went 20 for 40 from 3-point range after going just 25 for 100 in their two losses in Boston, when they blew 20-point leads in the second half of both games. The defending NBA champions went ahead by 31 in this one and there was never anything resembling a comeback for the Knicks.
“You've got to beat us four times. That’s what it comes down to. Not twice, not once, not three,” Celtics forward Jaylen Brown said. “You’ve got to win four games, so there’s a lot of basketball to be played.”
Tatum, an All-Star who shot just 12 for 42 overall in Boston, and Pritchard, the NBA Sixth Man of the Year, both made five 3s.
Brown scored 19 points and Derrick White had 17 for the Celtics, who will try to tie the series Monday night in Game 4 before returning to Boston for Game 5 on Wednesday.
Jalen Brunson scored 27 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who blew a 2-0 lead in this round last year and are still seeking their first conference finals appearance since 2000.
“I don’t think we came with the mindset of being satisfied, but I think it was just subconsciously satisfied being up 2-0," Brunson said. “Just not the way we need to approach the game.”
Boston made more 3-pointers than any team in NBA history during the regular season, when it swept all four meetings against New York. But the Celtics were ice cold to open this series, starting with an NBA playoff-record 45 misses in Game 1.
They made their first four 3-point shots in a blistering start Saturday and never really slowed down. They finished 6 for 7 behind the arc en route to a 36-20 lead, their highest-scoring first quarter of the postseason, quickly taking the energy out of a crowd where some fans paid more than $600 per ticket to be in the arena with the celebrities for one of the biggest games the Knicks have played in the 2000s.
“Just a matter of time,” Tatum said.
Tatum and Pritchard hit consecutive 3s for a 55-33 lead with 4 1/2 minutes remaining in the half, and Boston took a 71-46 lead to the locker room.
New York was 5 for 25 behind the arc and shot 68.6% on free throws — though that was mostly because Mitchell Robinson went 4 for 12 as the Celtics fouled the poor free throw shooter intentionally.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, left, knocks over New York Knicks' Josh Hart, right, during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Knicks' Cameron Payne, left, and Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, right, battle for the ball during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson, center, drives to the basket between Boston Celtics' Derrick White, left, and Jayson Tatum, right, during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Knicks' Cameron Payne, right, shoots over Boston Celtics' Luke Kornet, center, during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum reacts after shooting a 3-point basket during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Houston's stingy defense knocked Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the NFL playoffs, sending the Texans to the divisional round to complete wild-card weekend.
The Texans sacked Rodgers four times, scored two defensive touchdowns and held Pittsburgh to 175 yards in a 30-6 victory on Monday night. It was Houston's 10th straight win and the franchise's first on the road in the playoffs.
Mike Tomlin and the Steelers lost their seventh consecutive playoff game, and Rodgers may have played the last game of his Hall of Fame career.
Houston (13-5), the AFC's No. 5 seed, will face the No. 2 seed New England Patriots (15-3) next Sunday at 3 p.m. EST. The No. 2 seed Bears (12-6) will host the No. 5 seed Rams (13-5) in the second game Sunday.
The divisional round will kick off with the No. 6 seed Bills (13-5) at the No. 1 seed Broncos (14-3) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The No. 6 seed 49ers (13-5) will face the top-seeded Seahawks (14-3) in the night game.
In Sunday's wild-card games, Brock Purdy tossed a 4-yard TD pass to Christian McCaffrey with 2:54 remaining to lift the 49ers to a 23-19 comeback win at Philadelphia. McCaffrey also caught a 29-yard TD pass from wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
The Patriots sacked Justin Herbert six times and held Los Angeles to just 207 yards in a 16-3 win on Sunday night.
Josh Allen led Buffalo to a 27-24 comeback victory in Jacksonville in Sunday's first game. Allen scored on a 1-yard run late in the fourth quarter and Cole Bishop intercepted Trevor Lawrence's pass to secure Buffalo's first playoff win on the road since the 1992 AFC championship game at Miami.
On Saturday, the playoffs kicked off with two wacky games.
The Bears trailed the Green Bay Packers 21-3 at halftime and 27-16 with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter before Caleb Williams threw a pair of touchdown passes. His 25-yard TD toss to D.J. Moore put Chicago ahead 31-27 with 1:43 remaining. Then Jordan Love's desperation heave into the end zone from the Bears 28 was knocked down as time expired to secure Chicago's first playoff win since the 2010 season.
Williams finished with 361 yards passing, two TDs and two interceptions for the Bears.
In the opener on wild-card weekend, Matthew Stafford threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson in the final minute and Los Angeles rallied to beat the Carolina Panthers 34-31 in a game that was much closer than expected.
The Rams were double-digit favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook against the Panthers (8-10). The Rams jumped to a 14-0 lead, but couldn’t take advantage of first-half turnovers and allowed Carolina to get within 17-14 at halftime.
Stafford, who earned All-Pro honors for the first time in his 17-year career on Saturday, threw for 304 yards, three TDs and had one pick. Puka Nacua, who was a unanimous All-Pro selection, had 10 catches for 111 yards and one TD and also had a 5-yard TD run.
The Rams are back in the divisional round for the second straight season. Last year, they were 13 yards away from eliminating Philadelphia before a sack and an incomplete pass ended their season with a 28-22 loss.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Houston Texans defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (90) celebrates with cornerback Tremon Smith (11), defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) and linebacker E.J. Speed (45) after a touchdown during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)
New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97), linebacker Christian Elliss (53) and linebacker Robert Spillane (14) celebrate Williams' sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates his touchdown with tight end Dawson Knox (88) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams looks to throw during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)
Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams celebrates after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) reacts after a first down during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson, center left, celebrates his touchdown catch with wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws a pass during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
