Nba Facing Accusation During Knicks-celtics Game 3

The Boston Celtics entered Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks facing a daunting 0-2 deficit. After squandering 20-point leads in both Games 1 and 2 at TD Garden, the defending champions were in desperate need of a win to keep their title hopes alive. As the series shifted to Madison Square Garden, the Celtics responded with a dominant first half, leading 71-46 at halftime. 

Jaylen Brown led the half with 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Jayson Tatum added 14 points, three assists, and two rebounds. For the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns posted 13 first half points to go with six rebounds, while Jalen Brunson contributed 12 points before the break.

Despite the Celtics' strong performance, the game was marred by controversy as Knicks fans took to social media to express their frustration with the officiating. 

Accusations of bias surfaced, with fans alleging that the referees were favoring Boston.

"Refs got the Celtics," one fan said.

"Will the refs let Celtics do anything they want all day or can we get a foul call? Yeesh," another fan added.

"We see what the refs doing they want Boston to win smh," a third fan mentioned.

"So the refs are being paid by Boston cause giving Payton a shooting foul when he wasn't even shooting and not giving Hart... nuts," another fan posted.

"When the Celtics deliberately foul Mitch the refs call it quick but when it’s a blatant over the back there’s no foul for Mitch," a fan wrote.

It’s getting ridiculous these refs have been biased to the Celtics all series pic.twitter.com/zAe4E4mWbK

— clmxvisuals (@clmxvisuals) May 10, 2025

In Games 1 and 2 of the current series, the Knicks showcased resilience by overcoming significant deficits to secure victories. In Game 1, they rallied from a 20-point hole to win 108-105, and in Game 2, they repeated the feat with a 91-90 triumph. Mikal Bridges played a pivotal role in both comebacks, delivering crucial plays in the closing moments.

The Celtics will aim to maintain their lead and avoid falling into a 0-3 series deficit—a hole no NBA team has ever escaped. The Knicks, on the other hand, will look to replicate their earlier comebacks and take a commanding 3-0 lead. 

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