Knicks' NBA title hopes just rose exponentially after Jayson Tatum injury

The New York Knicks had already completed the comeback, again.

This time from "just" 14 points down, the Knicks stormed back to take a lead on the Boston Celtics. This time, they pulled multiple possessions ahead for essentially the first time in the entire series.

That's when Jayson Tatum went down with a non-contact injury to his lower right leg.

In that moment, of course, this became about more than a playoff series. The Knicks' immediate concerns went to Tatum's well-being. Karl-Anthony Towns came over and said a prayer with Tatum.

But the reality is this: If Tatum is out for the rest of this series, a series the Knicks already lead 3-1, New York is the heavy favorite to advance.

And on the other side of the Eastern Conference, Indiana is up 3-1 on the Cavs in what would turn out to be another stunner.

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The Knicks can certainly knock off the Pacers, and if that happened, they'd be in the NBA Finals. And if they make it there, who's to say they can't win there, too?

It's been a wild ride against the Celtics, with the Knicks already overcoming a pair of 20-point deficits in Games 1 and 2.

On Monday, Jalen Brunson led the way with 39 points and 12 assists, with Mikal Bridges and KAT each adding 23 points.

It was a successful enough recipe to race past the Celtics by the end of the third quarter and then hold on from there.

Now, the Knicks can start dreaming even bigger. They won't stop being concerned for Tatum, but at the same time, NBA title dreams just became very real.

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