Knicks see near-miss versus Celtics as ‘something we can build off’

How different it could feel. 

How different might the Knicks postseason outlook appear if Jayson Tatum was fouled before his game-tying 3 was released? If that attempt hit iron? If Josh Hart’s game-winning response was good? If Jalen Brunson didn’t miss a pair of 3s in the final 64 seconds of overtime? If Mikal Bridges didn’t drop a pass out of bounds? 

How different would the emotion be today? How much higher would the team’s ceiling seem? How much easier would it be to believe the best is still ahead? 

“That’s why you have to fight to win every possession because oftentimes these games end up being a one-possession game,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said after Tuesday’s 119-117 overtime loss to the Celtics. “The thing is, every game you learn something. That’s what we take from the game — what we did, what we can learn and what we can do better — and keep going. Take everything step by step.”