NBA Game Notes (May 16, 2025)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on May 16, 2025.

May 17, 2025

Three Stars

The three stars in ice hockey are the three best players in a game, with the “first star” considered the best of the three players, similar to the player of the match in other sports. Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games.

First ⭐️

Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 23 points (tied with OG Anunoby) as the New York Knicks routed the Boston Celtics 119-81 to win their Eastern Conference Semifinals series in six games. Brunson shot 8-14 from the field (3-8 on threes) and 4-4 from the free throw line. He added six rebounds and six assists, posting a game-best rating of plus-30 points in 35 minutes of court time.

Second ⭐️

Mikal Bridges scored 22 points in the Knicks’ series-clinching win over the Celtics. Bridges went 9-15 from the floor, hitting four of his six 3-point attempts. He also contributed four rebounds, three assists, a game-high two blocks (tied with OG Anunoby), and one steal in 30 minutes played.

Third ⭐️

OG Anunoby matched Brunson’s game-high 23 points in the Knicks’ blowout win over the Celtics. Anunoby also grabbed nine rebounds to go with game highs of two steals and two blocks (tied with Bridges) in 37 minutes of action. He shot just 7-18 from the field (4-13 on 3-pointers), but made all five of his free throw attempts.

Milestones

The New York Knicks’ 38-point margin of victory is the largest in a playoff game in franchise history. The previous record of 36 points was set on April 20, 1970 versus the Milwaukee Bucks.
Josh Hart (10 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) became the first New York Knick to record a triple-double in a playoff game since Walt Frazier accomplished the feat April 26, 1972.
The Knicks’ quartet of Brunson (23 points), Anunoby (23), Bridges (22), and Karl-Anthony Towns (21) each scored at least 20 points in the same game for the third time this postseason. No other foursome in NBA history has produced three such games in a single playoff run.
The Knicks (16-45 on threes) set a franchise record for most 3-pointers attempted in a playoff game. They surpassed the previous mark of 40 attempts established May 2, 2023 and matched just four days later.

Streaking

Brunson has scored at least 15 points in 36 consecutive playoff games, the longest such streak in New York Knicks history. He’s handed out at least five assists in 25 straight postseason contests, also the longest such streak in franchise history.
Brunson has recorded at least 15 points and five assists in each of his last 25 playoff games, the second-longest such streak in NBA history. The record of 29 straight 15-point, 5-assist games is held by Magic Johnson.
The Celtics’ Jaylen Brown (20 points) has scored at least 10 points in 98 consecutive playoff games, tying Julius Erving for the 13th-longest such streak in NBA history.

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Brunson and Anunoby were the night’s leading scorers with 23 points apiece. Also producing 20-point efforts were Bridges (22), Towns (21), and Brown (20).
Towns was the chairman of the boards, collecting 12 rebounds last night. Hart ranked second with 11 boards, while Anunoby placed third with nine.
Hart was the top playmaker last night, handing out 11 assists. Brown and Brunson were runners-up with six dimes each.
The Boston Celtics are the sixth straight NBA champion to fail to advance to the conference finals the following season. The 2020-21 Los Angeles Lakers lost in the first round, while the others fell in the conference semifinals.