By: Naman "Tiny" Buch
This is a matchup of two cities that hate each other. Boston vs New York. This isn't the matchup that usually is being talked about between the two cities. But with New York clinching a playoff berth for the first time since 2004 and the Celtics being the dominant team in the East, by going to the Finals 2 of the past 3 years. This is a series full of star power and should be a good match up early on if the Celtics want to continue their recent playoff success.
Keys to the Knicks winning the series
The Knicks organization and fans of course should be excited to be back in the playoffs after 7 years, but they may seem a little depleted for the Knicks to move on to the second round. I'm talking about the big mid-season trade that acquired the "Lake-Ness Monster" (according to the New York Post) Carmelo Anthony. By pairing up Melo with Amare Stoudemire they have a great 1-2 combo, but I do believe that they aren't deep enough to compete with the Celtics. The Knicks gave WAY too much for Melo and could have gotten a better deal during the off-season, but on the other side with a lockout most likely coming this year it was a chance the Knicks had to take if they wanted to have a chance at winning it all this year. They lost 3 starters in Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and Raymond Felton all 3 who were having great seasons, a project and possibly future center Timofey Mozgov. Also they lost a player who for the 2nd time wasn't given minutes in situations that he could have and would have thrived in Anthony Randolph, and acquired Corey Brewer who they ended up releasing anyways. That move made no sense, Brewer is a solid defender and would have provided good bench minutes for a team that now has a bench of Anthony Carter, Toney Douglas, Shawne and Shelden Williams and Roger Mason. With this depleted team expect the starters to have BIG minutes and they need to excel. Billups needs to dish out the assists and hit the big shots and live up to his name of Mr. Big Shot. Melo though he considerably slows this team down will need to well against this defense. I expect Amare to go off like he has this season, being a huge part in leading New York back into the series. The defense for the Knicks gives up the 3rd most ppg to the opposition at 105.7. This team has struggled ever since the Melo trade but needs to step up and will have the support of the LOUD MSG crowd in the playoffs.
Keys to the Celtics winning the series
The Celtics are no stranger to the playoffs but did tend to slip up in the last few months after a similar big mid-season trade of Kendrick Perkins. The Celtics didn't slip up too much and grabbed up the #3 seed but could have grabbed the #2 seed over Miami. But anyways, the trade to Perkins I think will come back to haunt the Celtics but not in this series. Jared Jefferies is no center and shouldn't worry the Celtics, and with KG on Amare the Perkins trade looks like it would hurt the Celtics in a series with a team with legit big men (Bulls, Heat, Lakers, Magic and Thunder (Perkins new team). The Celtics received Jeff Green and also Nenad Kristic in the Thunder trade. But also in a move that surprised me even more traded away Semih Erden to the Cavs for a 2nd rounder. NO POINT AT ALL, to trade your starter and your backup. But moving on the Celtics will obviously rely on the Big 4* of Rondo, Pierce, Allen and Garnett. The team like I mentioned were on a bit of a slide in the final months, but especially Rajon Rondo. Rondo was injured for some games but when he came back seemed to come back un-Rondo like, by averaging around 9 assists, which is still great but unlike Rondo, who is capable of much more. Rondo didn't seem to run the offense efficiently as in the beginning of the season but I expect nothing less of him. Garnett is rock solid and still is playing like a top 5 PF at his age and will have the tough task of holding down Amare Stoudemire. Pierce is still consistently hitting shots that I have no idea how he hits and the ALL TIME 3 Point Leader and one of my favorites Ray Allen will still be knocking down threes for this entire run. The defense clearly is WAY better than the Knicks and is ranked 2nd behind the Bulls in ppg to opposition at 91.3. Though I didn't agree with the Perkins trade, the Celtics mindset is that Jeff Green can help spread the opposition out causing mismatches, which I agree can and probably will happen.
The Knicks being back in the playoffs is great for the NBA. This entire series has incredible star-power on both teams and should be an entertaining series with 2 cities hating each other and with loud and energetic crowds. Though both teams had mid-season trades that affected their teams, I believe that the Celtics will be affected lesser because of their experience. The Knicks should be able to grab a couple of games but I don't think they will able to pull it off, even with Spike Lee's taunts on the MSG sideline.
Prediction: Boston in 6 games
Rating: 4/5 stars
Game 1: Sunday April 17 7:00 PM EST on TNT
Seize the day, people.
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