Immanuel Quickley stepped up in a big way, tying a career-high with an astonishing 38 points in a grueling 55-minute performance, as the injury-riddled New York Knicks overcame a late deficit to secure an electrifying 131-129 double-overtime victory over the Boston Celtics.
His inspired performance was the driving force behind the Knicks' season-high ninth consecutive win.
Quickley had seven points in the second overtime and added eight rebounds and seven assists with Brunson sidelined because of soreness in his left foot.
"It was a huge performance by him," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "I was going to give him rest at the start of the fourth, but then he knocked down a couple of shots and I thought the game was in the balance right there."
Julius Randle had 31 points and nine rebounds, and RJ Barrett finished with 29 points and 11 boards for the Knicks, who held on when Boston’s Al Horford front-rimmed a 3-pointer from the right corner just before the final buzzer.
"I just think I rushed it a little bit," Horford said. "I felt like I didn't stay with my shot long enough."
Jayson Tatum led Boston with 40 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and Horford finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Boston, which owned the NBA's best record for much of the season, has dropped three of four and is 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee for the Eastern Conference's top spot.
"We've just got to get our swagger back," Celtics guard Derrick White said. "Find a way to play with each other, have fun out there. I'm sure we'll get it back here soon."
Randle had 43 points in a victory at Miami on Friday that included an off-balance, game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
The Celtics were also missing a couple of key players in starting center Robert Williams III (left hamstring tightness) and reserve guard Malcolm Brogdon (right ankle soreness).
Quickley scored New York’s first seven points of the second overtime on a 3-pointer and two driving baskets, skipping in front of Boston’s bench and celebrating after the last basket made it 128-123.
"When I laid it up, it was still rolling around, so I kind of skipped it, willed it in," he said, smiling when explaining his last basket. "I just kept skipping down the floor. I was having fun, though."
Horford nailed a 3-pointer from the right corner with 29.2 seconds left to push Boston ahead 121-119 in the first OT after Randle’s two free throws had moved the Knicks in front.
But Quickley’s driving one-handed flip in the lane tied it before Tatum missed on his baseline drive, sending it to double OT.
"You celebrate the team and you celebrate winning," Thibodeau said of Quickley's dancing, at times, after key baskets. "I want our team to have fun, I want them to have joy, but I don't want it to get lost and I don't want it to get twisted."
Brown’s three-point play with 12.9 seconds left sent it to overtime.
Coming off an embarrassing home loss in their last game when they blew a 28-point lead against Brooklyn, the Celtics had opened a 14-point edge midway into the third quarter. The Knicks closed the quarter with a 9-0 surge and pushed their advantage to 100-89 on Obi Toppin’s driving layup early in the final quarter.