Jan. 28, 1964 - The New York Knicks checked a closing rush by the Boston Celtics tonight and gained a 133-127 victory at Madison Square Garden. (Pictured below is Celtic center Bill Russell scoring in the first half.) The triumph, the second for coach Eddie Donovan’s club over Boston in eight games this season, halted a four-game losing streak.
New York displayed tremendous recuperative powers in treating its fans among a crowd of 8,179 to a decisive third-quarter surge. The Knicks outscored the Celtics in that period, 34-21. Johnny Egan’s driving tactics and fine passing sent Bill McGill on a spree. The 6-9 McGill hit on eight of nine field-goal attempts, many of them brilliant hook shots, and sparked New York to a 91-79 margin. Bob Boozer and Johnny Green supported the attack.
But the Celtics stormed back in the final period. With Sam Jones, John Havlicek, and K.C. Jones making the shots, Boston chipped away, and suddenly the Celtics trailed by only 4 points with 27 seconds to play. But Art Heyman, the rookie from Duke, who scored 12 points in the final quarter, drove in for a layup that clinched the victory.
That final quarter produced two Garden records. The 48 points by the Celtics was the most by a team in one quarter. And Boston’s total, coupled with New York’s 42, was the most ever scored by two teams in one quarter. The Knicks outdid the Celtics where it hurt the most by grabbing 72 rebounds to Boston’s 60. Boozer, who led New York with 28 points, equaled his best previous effort as a pro. McGill had 27, Egan 24, and Heyman 21. Sam Jones led Boston with 32, while Havlicek, who has been especially rough against the Knicks, scored 22.
