Knicks taking in hard lessons after latest Celtics gut-punch

After devouring film from the ugly defeat to the Celtics, Jalen Brunson believes the Knicks showed improvement — at least improvement from the low bar of the season opener — and saw evidence that his team can compete with the reigning champs. “I learned if we fight, we have a chance,” Brunson said Monday.“I think last time it wasn’t even a game in Boston.

So we got to give ourselves a chance.We got to be ready from the jump.” The encouraging part of the film session, as cited by both Brunson and Tom Thibodeau, was the start of the third quarter, when the Knicks went with a small lineup and cut a 14-point deficit to three in a little over four minutes.

The hope was short-lived. Boston responded with a 26-7 run — including two sets of three foul shots after Jayson Tatum and Derrick White were fouled attempting treys — and the Knicks were buried.The lopsided contest, which followed a Celtics obliteration of the Knicks in October, was followed by concerns Thibodeau’s squad was too far under the upper crust to think about emerging out of the East.

As NBA analyst and former player Brian Scalabrine said in the aftermath, “If you’re the Knicks, it all comes crashing down.You are reminded once again that you are just not at the same level.” But Brunson seemed to recognize more correctable mistakes than sweeping indictments. “I saw us start off flat.

And then I saw us cut a big deficit to three.And then as we were talking about (Monday), obviously, as a team — once they took that timeout and then we foul a 3-point shooter, they went on a (run),” the point guard said.

“The way we fought in the middle of the game is the way we should play throughout the game.I’ve said this — no matter who you play, it’s to see where you’re at.

But with them, it’s a different standard.They’re the champs, so we have a lot of room for improvement, obviously.

And we just need to be focused on that.” Assessing how they stack up against the...