Suddenly here we are, longing for those times when we thought the worst-case scenario for the Celtics meant falling behind the Knicks.

The defending NBA champion Boston Celtics are on the brink of elimination after losing Game 4 to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

The Boston Celtics lost Game 4 and saw Jayson Tatum suffer a potentially serious injury on Monday night against the New York Knicks. The Knicks won 121-113 thanks to a strong second half and erased another large deficit,

The Celtics’ offense is at its best when all five players are aggressively attacking the rim, spraying the ball out to open shooters and scrambling opposing defenses. It’s hard to do that when one player—Holiday in this case—removes himself from the action.

The St. Louis native went down late in the game with a non-contact injury that had him writing on the ground in pain.

Trainers help Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum (0) off the court after he was injured during the second half of Game 4 in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the New York Knicks Monday, May 12, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) AP