A Celtics squad struggling to hit their stride with a revamped lineup seemed destined for a tough night at their TD Garden arena after the Knicks built a 14-point advantage early in the second quarter.
Boston responded strongly, outscoring their Eastern Conference opponents 37-20 in the second quarter to take a 58-52 lead at halftime.
The Celtics appeared set for an easy victory following another scoring burst in the third quarter, putting up 36 points to extend their lead to 18 early in the fourth quarter.
That sparked a fourth-quarter comeback from the Knicks, who scored 41 points in the final period, fueled by 17 points from Mikal Bridges and 11 points from Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Celtics managed to hold on just enough to secure a win, improving their record to 12-9 this season.
"“It was a fantastic team effort all around,”Brown told NBC. "We got off to a slow start but that’s why there are four quarters..
"“We’re improving every day. Don’t underestimate us – we’re still learning and developing. We have a new group and many young players experiencing this for the first time.
"I’m proud of what I’ve seen so far. We need to keep this momentum going."
Bridges led the Knicks with 35 points, including eight three-pointers, while Towns added 29 points.
Anthony Edwards scored 44 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 149-142 in overtime to improve their record to 13-8.
The San Antonio Spurs narrowly beat the Memphis Grizzlies 126-119 while the Toronto Raptors edged out the Portland Trail Blazers 121-118.
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