Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics tries to get previous Karl-Anthony Cities #32 of the New York Knicks within the closing minute of regulation of the sport at Madison Sq. Backyard on April 08, 2025 in New York Metropolis. The Boston Celtics defeated the New York Knicks 119-117 in time beyond regulation. Elsa/Getty Pictures/AFP
BOSTON — To say the Celtics have dominated the Knicks over the previous two NBA seasons could be an understatement.
New York misplaced all 4 of its conferences with Boston this season by a median of 16.5 factors per sport. That got here after the Celtics gained 4 of the groups’ 5 matchups throughout their 2023-24 championship season.
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It’s greater than sufficient motive for the defending NBA champs to really feel assured heading into their Japanese Convention semifinals pairing with the Knicks, which ideas off Monday night time.
Simply don’t inform that to Boston, which isn’t taking something – or anybody – as a right at this level of the season.
“That is the playoffs. So all the pieces we did within the common season doesn’t actually imply a complete lot now,” Celtics guard Derrick White mentioned. “Not like we get to begin up 1-0. So simply perceive it’s the playoffs. They’re right here for a motive.”
A giant a part of the explanation why Boston is on guard in opposition to New York is the play of All-Star Jalen Brunson. The not too long ago named NBA clutch participant of the yr is averaging 31.5 factors, 8.2 assists and 4 rebounds per sport this postseason.
It features a 40-point efficiency and what proved to be the profitable 3-pointer in New York’s 116-113 Sport 6 closeout win over Detroit.
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“Massive-time participant. Appears to make all the large performs for them,” White mentioned. “And he’s had an unbelievable yr. And clearly this playoffs he’s taken it to a different degree. So it’s going to be a bunch effort to attempt to gradual him down, and to grasp that he’s a very good participant, he’s going to make robust pictures, however simply attempting to make it as tough as we will for 48 minutes and simply have a whole lot of totally different guys to attempt to gradual him down.”
Whereas Boston swept the season sequence with New York, it took a 119-117 time beyond regulation win that included late 3-pointers by Kristaps Porzingis and Jayson Tatum for the Celtics to prevail within the closing common season assembly on April 8.
Brunson believes how they realized and adjusted from the primary three conferences confirmed up in that sport. However he additionally is aware of progress isn’t sufficient at this level.
“I really feel like we performed higher in that sport. … Clearly nonetheless not getting it carried out,” Brunson mentioned. “Performed and competed higher than the primary three video games, in order that’s one thing we will have a look at and construct off of.”
Vacation accessible
Celtics guard Jrue Vacation is predicted to return from a strained proper hamstring in Sport 1. No Celtics gamers had been listed on Sunday’s harm report. That features Jaylen Brown, whose been coping with a proper knee subject. For Vacation, it’s the primary time he hasn’t been on the harm report since he missed the ultimate three video games of Boston’s first-round win over Orlando. Vacation averaged 10 factors, 5.5 assists and three.5 rebounds within the opening two video games of the Magic sequence.
READ: NBA: Celtics edge Knicks in OT, will probably be East’s No. 2 seed
Magic blueprint?
Although Orlando proved to be overmatched of their 4-1 sequence loss to Boston, one factor they had been profitable at was limiting the Celtics’ success from the 3-point line.
Boston related on an NBA document for 3-pointers made (1,457) and tried (3,955 complete and 48.2 per sport) in the course of the common season. However the Celtics averaged solely 31.2 3-point makes an attempt per sport and solely as soon as hit at the least 10 3-pointers of their sequence with the Magic.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned replicating that blueprint is the problem for his workforce. He additionally mentioned they don’t thoughts being a heavy underdog on this sequence.
“We all the time have the assumption that whether or not it’s reward or criticism, it doesn’t matter. The one factor that basically issues is what we expect,” he mentioned.
Porzingis vs. Knicks
This will probably be his first playoff matchup for Porzingis in opposition to the workforce that drafted him fourth general in 2015 earlier than buying and selling him to Dallas in 2019.
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He has been again to Madison Sq. Backyard a number of instances because the commerce and mentioned he’s largely in a position to play emotion-free basketball at this level in opposition to his former workforce.
“I like taking part in there on the street,” Porzingis mentioned. “My first couple of video games there have been fairly loopy there getting booed and stuff. However I feel now the time has handed and it’s not as current anymore and I’ve modified a few groups, the attitude is simply no matter. … But it surely’s all the time enjoyable to go up in opposition to them.”
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Quarter-century droop
The Knicks are within the Japanese Convention semifinals for the third straight season however haven’t gone additional in 25 years. Their injury-decimated workforce misplaced Sport 7 at house final yr to Indiana with a visit to Boston on the road and fell to Miami in 2023. The Knicks haven’t performed within the East finals since shedding to Indiana in 2000.
