Josh Hart left bloodied and bruised in New York Knicks vs Boston Celtics Game 5

In one of the most physical games of the NBA Playoffs so far, New York Knicks guard Josh Hart showed just how much pain he’s willing to endure for his team. The Celtics responded with their best performance of the series, grabbing a convincing 127-102 win in Game 5 and forcing the series back to New York. Hart was bloodied in the game after receiving a painful elbow right in the face.

Josh Hart's face was split open by Luke Kornet's elbow during Boston Celtics ’ fierce Game 5 playoff win

This photo of Josh Hart 😲

(📸: Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) pic.twitter.com/9yhEU1mNFN

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 15, 2025

The drama started early in the first quarter at TD Garden. Hart drove to the rim and took a hard elbow from Boston big man Luke Kornet. The collision left a deep gash near the bridge of Hart’s nose, with blood visibly pouring down his face and staining his jersey. The game was immediately paused for an official review. While the contact looked severe, the referees determined that it was a common foul and not a flagrant.

Jaylen Brown gets into it with Josh Hart to start the 2nd half pic.twitter.com/cJiMxfKamv

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 15, 2025

Per NBA rules, Hart had to shoot his own free throws or be ruled out for the rest of the game. Despite the bleeding and obvious discomfort, Hart changed into a clean uniform, stepped back on the floor, and calmly knocked down both free throws. He was subbed out right after and returned a few minutes later with stitches and fresh tape on his face. At halftime, he had already recorded 12 points. He would go on to lead the Knicks with 24.

As the Knicks fought through the physical battle, Boston had other plans. Derrick White was electric, pouring in 34 points while hitting seven of his 13 three-point attempts. Jaylen Brown added 26 points and 12 assists in a fiery two-way performance. Luke Kornet, the same player who bloodied Hart, finished with 10 points, nine boards, and a staggering seven blocks.

Boston found their A-game late in the third quarter with a 23-9 run that broke the game wide open. The Celtics, who had trailed by as many as nine, closed the period up 91-76. In the fourth, they never looked back. They hit 22 threes as a team, including five by White in the first half alone, and played stifling defense.

Things got chippy late in the second quarter when Hart and Brown got into a brief face-to-face scuffle. No technicals were issued, but it added to the playoff tension building throughout the night.

The Knicks attempted a hard fight. Jalen Brunson contributed 22 points before fouling out with 7:19 left in the fourth. Mitchell Robinson gave New York solid minutes too, making all four of his free throws—key for a player who’s often targeted for hack-a-strategies.

Also Read: New York Knicks vs Boston Celtics (05/14): Box Scores, player stats, game summary and more

The Celtics now shift the series back to New York for Game 6, aiming to become just the 14th team in league history to erase a 3-1 deficit. Game 7, if needed, will be back in Boston. But if Game 5 was any indication, this series is far from over.