NBA: Reigning champions Bolton Celtics eliminated by the New York Knicks

It was almost too easy, but Madison Square Garden relished it. The New York Knicks swept the defending champion Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the series on Friday, May 16, to earn a spot in the NBA's semifinals, their first in a quarter-century.

Without their best player Jayson Tatum – who ruptured his right Achilles tendon in Game 4 and will be out for many months – the Celtics were non-existent and fell heavily by a score of 119 to 81. The Knicks, for their part, won the series 4-2 and will face, in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Indiana Pacers, who had eliminated them at this stage in 2000, for a place in the grand final of the North American basketball championship.

The confident New Yorkers were carried by a well-oiled collective, creating a big gap in the second quarter (winning 38-17), allowing them to reach halftime with a 27-point lead (64-37). The celebrations of the Knicks fans began very early at Madison Square Garden during this one-sided match, and continued until late into the night around the legendary venue of the "Big Apple".

Following in the footsteps of their leader Jalen Bruson (23 points), five other Knicks scored at least 10 points, with all-around man Josh Hart achieving a triple-double (10 points, 11 assists, 11 rebounds). Karl-Anthony Towns (21 points, 12 rebounds) and OG Anunoby (23 points, 10 rebounds) also shone in this match where the gap climbed to 41 points in favor of the home team.

On the Boston side, Jaylen Brown (20 points) kept his standards, but Derrick White (8 points) and Kristaps Porzingis (4 points) fell through.

Against the Indiana Pacers, the Knicks will have the opportunity to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and a defeat against the San Antonio Spurs, with the goal of bringing home a third title after 1970 and 1973.

This matchup has led to some particularly memorable playoff series in the past. Let's hope the show goes on.