Knicks 131, Celtics 129 (2OT): Scenes from the gargantuan heart of Immanuel Quickley

The New York Knicks came into Boston Sunday night without reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Month Jalen Brunson, who was ruled out with a sore foot. But Knicks fans knew they weren’t exactly without a star point guard. In Brunson’s place, Immanuel Quickley played one of the finest games we’ve seen from any Knick this season, powering New York to an improbable 131-129 victory in double-overtime.

With Brunson out, and Miles McBride struggling, head coach Tom Thibodeau played Quickley the entire second half...and then two whole overtime periods. The Celtics looked primed to take over the game in the third quarter when Quickley really went to work. And he didn’t stop until the Knicks had secured the W.

IQ wasn’t the only hero in this one. RJ Barrett had one of his best performances in recent weeks. Julius Randle didn’t have his best game, but he still dropped 31 points. More importantly, he deferred to his teammates in overtime, when it was clear to all it wasn’t going to be his night.

Nine in a row. This team, y’all...