In a thrilling Thursday night showdown at Madison Square Garden, Josh Hart caught fire when it mattered most, scoring 15 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to propel the New York Knicks to a crucial 112-106 victory over the Boston Celtics. The win keeps the Knicks' hopes for the coveted No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference very much alive.

Jalen Brunson was a maestro on the court, adding 25 points and 10 assists, providing the steady leadership the Knicks needed in a high-stakes game. For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum put up a strong 24-point, 13-rebound, 8-assist performance in his emotional return to the Garden floor, the same court where he suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during last year's playoffs.

With this result, the Knicks (52-28) now sit just two games behind the Celtics (54-26) with only two games left for each team. Crucially, New York holds the tiebreaker after winning the season series 3-1, meaning if they win out and Boston stumbles, the Knicks will leapfrog into that second spot, securing a more favorable playoff path.

Meanwhile, in Toronto, Brandon Ingram erupted for a season-high 38 points to lead the Raptors past the slumping Miami Heat, 128-114. RJ Barrett added 22 points as Toronto moved into sole possession of fifth place in the East, inching closer to clinching their first playoff berth since 2022.

The Heat, who have lost 10 of their last 13, saw strong efforts from Bam Adebayo (24 points, 11 rebounds) but continue to slide toward the play-in tournament. The Raptors' victory completed a season sweep of Miami, a significant confidence booster as the postseason approaches.

Elsewhere, the Chicago Bulls found their rhythm against the Washington Wizards, led by a career-high 26 points and 11 rebounds from Leonard Miller. Tre Jones (31 points) and Collin Sexton (27 points) provided ample support as the Bulls secured a comfortable win, pulling even for 11th in the conference standings.