NEW YORK — As sports talk shows lit them up, as pockets of fans wondered if this was the end, as questions about their horrendous 3-point shooting intensified, the Celtics mostly shrugged.

The Celtics found their stroke to build a big lead early, but it was playing their brand of basketball that made it possible from tip to final buzzer.

Jayson Tatum had 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, Payton Pritchard scored 23 points and the Boston Celtics easily got their first win in the Eastern Conference semifinals by routing the New York Knicks 115-93 on Saturday in Game 3.