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Amid a very memorable second-round series win over the Celtics, the Knicks played a very forgettable Game 5. Boston, playing its first game after Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles, blew out New York 127-102 behind an impressive team-wide effort to save its season.

That wasn't the only surprise: Less than halfway through the fourth quarter, Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson fouled out, the first time in over four months he had done so.

Then came another surprise: When showed on the TD Garden Jumbotron, Brunson smiled and waved.

Was it a sheepish reaction after fouling out? Was it an amused reaction? Was it a knowing smile and goodbye wave, anticipating the Knicks would close the series out at home in Game 6 and not come back to Boston for Game 7?

As it turns out, it wasn't that deep.

"People were like, 'Oh, Jalen is waving because he knew he wasn't going back,'" Brunson said on the Roommates Show, a podcast he co-hosts with teammate Josh Hart. "Like, no. I just fouled out in a playoff game when we're down 20 or whatever, and I just see myself on the screen, and I'm just trying to make positive out of a terrible negative situation.

"And I see myself, quick little wave. I didn't think anything of it, and then obviously it's all over everywhere when I get off the court after the game."

It ended up aging well, as Brunson later pointed out: The Knicks blew out the Celtics 119-81 in Game 6 to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000. Brunson delivered 23 points in that one, tying for the team-high.

The Knicks will hope for plenty more smiles from Brunson -- ideally not after fouling out, though -- when they open the conference finals against the Pacers on Tuesday.