Knicks Beat Cold-Shooting Celtics To Tie Atlantic Division Lead

The NBA’s Atlantic Division tightened after key wins for the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors, while the Los Angeles Clippers continued their rise in the Western Conference with another strong victory and the Minnesota Timberwolves slipped closer to the play-in positions.

The standings picture changed at the top of the Atlantic as the Knicks and Celtics finished the day level, and the Raptors cut the gap, setting up a close race that will interest basketball followers across North America and the Middle East.

The Knicks moved level with the Boston Celtics after a 111-89 road win, with Boston’s offence struggling badly throughout the game, while the Raptors closed to within two games of both Atlantic Division leaders following a 122-104 success

against the Indiana Pacers.

Toronto’s victory over Indiana took the Raptors to a 32-22 record and marked their seventh win in the last 10 games, while the loss dropped the Pacers to 13-40 and extended their current skid to four consecutive defeats despite 18 points from former Raptors forward Pascal Siakam.

Scottie Barnes led the Raptors’ charge with 25 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, four blocks and two steals, and the All-Star selection for the second straight season became only the fourth player since the 2020-21 campaign to reach at least those numbers across all five statistical categories in one game.

The 22-year-old forward’s all-round line placed Barnes in elite company, as the last player to produce a similar box score was Anthony Davis, who posted 29 points, 17 rebounds, six assists, five blocks and three steals for the Los Angeles Lakers on January 3, 2024.

THE GUYZZZZ REALLY LIKE THAT pic.twitter.com/1CW3vsSTW2 Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) February 8, 2026

New York’s defence and Boston’s poor shooting combined at TD Garden, where the Knicks limited the Celtics to season lows in total points, overall field-goal percentage at 37.0, three-point percentage at 17.1 and made three-pointers with seven in a one-sided second half.

Jalen Brunson steered the Knicks to their 34-19 record with 31 points and eight assists, while Josh Hart supported with 19 points as New York secured a ninth win from the last 10 outings and pulled level with Boston at the top of the Atlantic Division.

For the Celtics, who also sit at 34-19, Jaylen Brown produced 26 points and Derrick White added 19, and Baylor Scheierman stepped into the starting lineup for injured forward Sam Hauser, finishing with 10 points and a career-best 13 rebounds as Boston’s five-game winning run ended.

SUNDAY'S FINAL SCORES Jalen Brunson and the @nyknicks win in Boston and move back into second in the East! Josh Hart: 19 PTS, 6 REB Jaylen Brown: 26 PTS pic.twitter.com/s80FH3hvop NBA (@NBA) February 8, 2026

NBA Western race shifts as Clippers surge

While the Atlantic Division tightened, the Western Conference picture also shifted as the Los Angeles Clippers eased past the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves 115-96, continuing a strong mid-season stretch that has pulled the Clippers firmly into the play-off conversation.

Kawhi Leonard delivered 41 points, eight rebounds and four steals for the Clippers, who improved to 25-27 and have now taken 19 wins from their last 25 games, a run that has lifted the team into ninth place in the Western Conference standings.

The Timberwolves dropped to 32-22 with their third defeat in four games and now hold only a half-game advantage over the Phoenix Suns, who sit at 31-22 in the race for sixth, while Anthony Edwards led Minnesota in scoring with 23 points as the team slid to eight losses in 13 contests following a 17-6 start.

Kawhi Leonard with the BIG GAME of the day pic.twitter.com/ru2kZUBBkv LA Clippers (@LAClippers) February 8, 2026

The latest results leave the Atlantic Division finely balanced with the Knicks and Celtics level and the Raptors close behind, while in the West the Clippers’ strong form contrasts with the Timberwolves’ recent slide, shaping two tight conference races as the season moves toward its final stages.