Brunson burns Celtics, Tatum KO'd

Edwards, T-Wolves pack maul Warriors

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Jalen Brunson scored 39 points as the New York Knicks pushed the Boston Celtics to the brink of elimination from the playoffs on Monday while the Golden State Warriors were also left facing an early exit after a damaging defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In New York, Brunson spearheaded a sensational second-half rally as the Knicks overturned a 14-point third-quarter deficit before surging to a 121-113 win that gives the third seeds a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semi-final series.

In the Western Conference, the Timberwolves took a similar 3-1 stranglehold in their series against Golden State with a commanding 117-110 road victory in San Francisco.

Boston’s hopes of hauling themselves back into their series suffered a devastating blow in the shape of a serious injury to Jayson Tatum, who looked distraught as he was carried off the hardwood in the fourth quarter.

Tatum, who had been magnificent to that point with a 42-point display, was later seen being ferried to the Madison Square Garden locker room in a wheelchair.