Knicks Bury Celtics in the Garden, 121-114 : NBA playoffs: New York rallies from 2-0 deficit to take best-of-five series, winning in Boston for first time since 1984.

The New York Knicks rose from the dead in a building where they have been buried so many times.

In Boston Garden, where they had not won a regular-season game in six years or a playoff game in 16 years, the Knicks moved into the second round of the NBA playoffs Sunday with a 121-114 victory over the Boston Celtics.

“It had to happen some time,” New York Coach Stu Jackson said. “I’m going to take 24 hours and enjoy this.”

Said Celtic Larry Bird: “We’re in shock. All I know is, I’ll wake up tomorrow morning and still be in shock.”

The Knicks became the third team in NBA history to win a best-of-five series after losing the first two games. The Ft. Wayne Pistons did it in 1956 and the Golden State Warriors in 1987.

Those weren’t the only incredible odds the Knicks overcame in advancing to the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals against Detroit, starting Tuesday night at Auburn Hills, Mich.

New York had lost 26 consecutive games at Boston Garden since winning Feb. 29, 1984, and nine playoff games since the last victory there April 19, 1974. The Knicks, losers of 10 of their previous 11 road games, ended Boston’s 13-game home winning streak.

They capped an improbable climb from a 157-128 loss eight days earlier when Boston set NBA single-game playoff records for points and shooting accuracy.

“It gave us a lot more fight,” Patrick Ewing, who had 31 points and 10 assists, said of the rout. “We wanted to come out and prove something to everybody.”

The Knicks went home and evened the series by winning, 102-99, Wednesday night and, 135-108, Friday night.

On Sunday, Ewing, who played 47 minutes, and Maurice Cheeks, who played 48, led them on a decisive 12-2 run. The spurt turned a 101-99 lead into a 113-101 advantage with 2:02 left. Ewing ended it with the second three-pointer of his career, giving New York its biggest lead.

“We had our chances,” Boston’s Kevin McHale said. “They beat us flat out. We can’t sit here and make excuses.”

Cheeks had 21 points and Charles Oakley, who missed the last 17 regular-season games with a broken left hand and returned for the playoff opener, had 26 points and 17 rebounds in 44 minutes.

“We just made all the big plays,” Ewing said. “Charles Oakley was tremendous cleaning the backboard.”

Bird had 31 points for the Celtics, but missed several shots down the stretch, including a dunk with 4:16 left. Robert Parish had 22 points for Boston, Dennis Johnson 21.

For the first time since 1952, Boston was eliminated in the opening round for two straight seasons.

“This is as low as it gets,” Bird said. “This is unbelievable.”

New York never trailed in the fourth quarter, fighting off numerous Boston comebacks with excellent shooting. The Knicks made 69% of their shots in the final quarter and 59% in the game.

With the score 101-99, Ewing began the 12-2 run with a short hook with 4:34 left. Cheeks made an 18-foot jumper, making it 105-99 with 4:08 remaining. Reggie Lewis and Cheeks traded baskets before New York pulled away.

Bird missed a 12-foot jumper with 3:09 left and a three-pointer by Johnny Newman put New York ahead, 110-101, with 2:53 remaining. Johnson then missed a jumper, and Ewing put an exclamation point on the victory with a three-pointer.

That gave the Knicks a 113-101 lead. They led by seven to 12 points the rest of the way, making their final eight points on free throws.

“They had a great game, a great series, and rose to the occasion,” Boston Coach Jimmy Rodgers said. “It’s a tough way to go down.”

The Celtics never trailed in the first quarter when Bird had 13 points, taking a 32-24 lead.

With the score 36-28 with 9:14 left in the half, New York took its first lead during an 11-point run that made it 39-36 with 6:50 left.

A tip by Ewing, who had only 10 first-half points, broke a 44-44 tie. But Boston responded with an 8-0 run and took a 52-46 lead 57 seconds before intermission.

Ewing’s 10-foot jumper with six-tenths of a second left cut Boston’s lead to 54-50 at halftime.

The lead changed hands five times in the third quarter, the last on a dunk by Gerald Wilkins with 2:39 left that put the Knicks ahead, 80-79. Oakley followed with two free throws and Ewing dunked, capping an 18-6 run that turned a 73-66 deficit into an 84-79 lead.

Ewing had 14 points and Cheeks 11 in the period, which ended with New York ahead, 87-83.