The New York Knicks kept their hopes for a top-two playoff seed burning bright with a gritty 112-106 victory over the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. In a high-stakes Eastern Conference showdown, Josh Hart erupted for 15 of his team-high 26 points in the decisive fourth quarter, while All-Star Jalen Brunson chipped in 25 points and 10 assists to steer the ship.

The win was particularly poignant as it came against Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who returned to the Garden floor for the first time since suffering a season-ending Achilles injury there during last year's playoffs. Tatum, showing no signs of lingering hesitation, posted a strong line of 24 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists in a valiant effort.

With this crucial result, the Knicks (52-28) closed to within two games of the Celtics (54-26) for the coveted No. 2 seed. More importantly, New York owns the tiebreaker after winning the season series 3-1. This means if the Knicks win their final two games and Boston loses its last two, New York would leapfrog into that second spot, securing home-court advantage for at least the first two playoff rounds.

Boston, playing without leading scorer Jaylen Brown (left Achilles tendinitis), saw its four-game winning streak snapped despite strong performances from Payton Pritchard (23 points) and Baylor Scheierman (20 points, 6-7 from three).

The playoff picture is coming into sharp focus as the regular season winds down. The Knicks face Toronto and Charlotte in their final two contests, while the Celtics host New Orleans and Orlando. Every possession now carries the weight of postseason positioning, setting the stage for a thrilling final weekend.