Jalen Brunson Calls Celtics a 'Well-Oiled Machine' After Win Without Jayson Tatum

It's safe to say Jalen Brunson was impressed with his opponents performance in Game 5.

Following the New York Knicks 127-102 loss to the Boston Celtics Wednesday night, Brunson referred that the Celtics are a "well-oiled machine" even without star forward Jayson Tatum in the lineup.

"They're a team, a well-oiled machine, that has been in situations where they've played without him and they've played well. We need to understand that. Trust the gameplan and play accordingly. It's that simple."

Brunson scored 22 points and added six assists and a rebound before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Boston cut the lead series deficit to 3-2 with the win and put some more pressure on the Knicks to close it out.

While the Knicks lead the series, blown leads from the Celtics have been a major reason for that lead. Boston blew 20-point leads in all three of their losses but Wednesday did not feature any let up despite Tatum's absence.

Tatum will not return during the series or the rest of the postseason due to his Achilles injury, but the Celtics still have significant talent with Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday as notable pieces.

Still, Brunson and the Knicks have the advantage and have two opportunities to close it out. While a series victory is in reach, Brunson's words show he knows the series is far from over.