Three is the magic number for the Knicks — the number of wins they have in this series, with a chance to close out the defending champion Celtics in Boston on Wednesday. But first, a look back at how they got there Monday night with another comeback win, and finally one at Madison Square Garden.

While there was no official word yet, awaiting an MRI on Tuesday, the injury suffered by Boston’s Jayson Tatum late in the game had players on both sides devastated. Tatum scored 42 points in 39:37 before he tried to lunge for a loose ball with about three minutes remaining in the game and immediately grabbed at his right leg in pain. He eventually had to be helped off the court on the shoulders of staff members and then was spotted in a wheelchair exiting the arena.

“I never want to see a player get hurt,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “And I know he’s been a great player and he’s a great guy, too, so I hope it’s not a serious injury.”

“I just wanted to send prayers out to JT, man,” Jalen Brunson said. “First and foremost. Praying for the best.”

“I’ve been in a situation like that with my calf,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “I just walked up, obviously respectfully of his space. I just put my head down and prayed to my mother, prayed to God, to put protection over him and comfort. Whatever the injury may be, I hope it’s minor, like I said. Whatever the process he has to go through hopefully is a quick, painless process and see him back in the NBA. The NBA needs that kind of superstar talent that he is. I know we’re competing at the highest level in the playoffs, but this is a brotherhood.''

While Jalen Brunson is where the Knicks' offense  and comebacks  start -- and it was no different Monday, with Brunson scoring 18 in the third quarter and 26 of his 39 in the second half -- Mikal Bridges again emerged  as a clutch performer with 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. In Games 1 and 2, he had the game-saving defensive plays, but this one was not close in the final minutes because he provided a safety valve when the Celtics’ defense converged on Brunson.

“I’ve seen him since 2015,” Brunson said. “I’ve seen the way his work ethic has grown each year and I’ve seen everything he does, how psychotic he is with his work. It all pays off. I have full trust in him no matter what the situation is. That’s me and him, we don’t take things personal, we talk. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s a little ugly, but we want to win. It’s been like that since the day I met him.”

“It’s the will to win,” Bridges said. “That’s pretty much it. Just having the fight to win, doing whatever it takes. That’s pretty much it. I think last year for a while, I was leading the league in fourth-quarter points for a little bit.”

He nodded toward Brunson — acknowledging who took that over.

After days of “Hack-a-Mitch” talk, Robinson was a key part of the Knicks' victory. He played 25:08, grabbed eight rebounds — including five offensive boards — and scored four points.

"He brings a lot to this team,” Brunson said. “When he came back, obviously we wanted him back fully healthy and ready to play, but seeing how he was just being back, being healthy, being full off the court, it was great to see him. He was working his tail off to get back. Obviously, we love what he does, but him having his joy and being back and being around and contributing, that’s what we're most happy to see.”