New York Knicks: Silver Lining Tough To Accept

Is there reason for optimism after the Knicks heartbreaking 87-85 Game 1 loss to the Boston Celtics? Absolutely. Amare Stoudemire played like the MVP candidate he was during the first half of the season, there were signs of life on defense, and Carmelo Anthony gave far from his best effort and the Knicks were still inches away from victory.

Regardless, the bottom line is that they are down 1-0 and Chauncey Billups isn't going to play in Game 2. Boston isn't going to be caught off-guard any more in this series, they are now fully aware of how the Knicks stack up against them. It is nice that the Knicks played them tough on Boston's home floor, but in the playoffs you can't give away 12-point leads in the second half, you can't afford to lose games when you are winning by three with less than a minute left. In the playoffs, you have to win close games, which is something the Knicks have been beyond inconsistent at all season.

There is no time for the Knicks to hang their heads about their loss Sunday night. They need to walk away with confidence, knowing that they belong on the same floor as the Celtics but more importantly they need to walk away angry at themselves for letting game one slip away. (They could also have some anger at the officials over that horrible offensive foul on Carmelo Anthony late in the game...this is the playoffs, let them play regardless of how much Paul Pierce is acting).

Madison Square Garden is going to be rocking Friday night whether the Knicks are tied up 1-1 or down 2-0 but that doesn't mean the Knicks shouldn't be feeling a must win mentality tomorrow night. The odds will be stacked against them, especially with Billups out of the line-up but chances are the game will be there for taking again in the final minutes, this time the Knicks need to answer the call.

Knicks Should Feel Confident Ahead of Game 2

It’s hard for the the Knicks to wake up after Sunday night’s crushing loss and think positively in any way. But they should. After last night’s game, Carmelo Anthony said it right: the Celtics didn’t really do anything special. They won a game at home, something they’re supposed to do. Sure, they executed down the stretch, and Doc Rivers drew up some excellent plays. But let’s not kid ourselves, the Celtics were fortunate. Think of it this way:

Anthony played a minute and a half in the first quarter. For the game, he had 15 points and went 1-of-11 from the field in the second half. Chauncey Billups wasn’t great, struggling from 3-point range. Toney Douglas, aside from his big three-pointer late in the game, struggled offensively with just eight points. Still, the Celtics, the world champions they are, needed a horrendous foul call and a three (essentially) at the buzzer to win.

A lot of people are saying that Amare Stoudemire should have seen the ball in the last two minutes. That’s correct. However, the only time Stoudemire should have really deserved the ball was after Garnett’s dunk, when Anthony was called for the ludicrous offensive foul. Anthony was ice cold, and maybe the right play was to get Stoudemire the ball and see if he could drive, and get to the line. But hey, Garnett would have been all over Stoudemire, and Amare may have been called for an offensive foul, too. Not too crazy given the call on Anthony. Other than that, what was wrong with Toney Douglas’ three right before the Garnett dunk? Was Stoudemire supposed to get the ball then?

The final Knicks possession, which has been publicly scrutinized, is a tough one to really criticize. The Knicks didn’t have a timeout (which many want to say is a terrible job on D’Antoni’s part, but some coaches wouldn’t have called a timeout there even with a time out as it allows the defense to set up). Either way, the dagger had already been twisted on Allen’s three, and while it wasn’t a great shot by Anthony, it’s hard to imagine Stoudemire was really going to get a much better look against Garnett, who would have been allowed to maul him and not get called for a foul.

The taste is sour. The Knicks did let a golden opportunity slip away. Pending the health of Chauncey Billups, the Knicks aren’t out of this series. If they continue to play as hard as they did on the defensive end, they will stay in each game. Anthony will be better too, way better. When he is, the outcome could be different.

Stoudemire Comes Up Huge, Carmelo Comes Up Small

In their first New York Knicks’ playoff games, Amare Stoudemire was huge for the Knicks while Carmelo Anthony came up small. Very small.

Stoudemire had 28 powerful points against the Boston Celtics, including the Knicks’ first eight points of the fourth quarter to stem a Boston rally. Jumpers. Powerful drives to the basket. Kevin Garnett, one of the league’s best defenders, and any other Celtic who tried, were powerless to stop Stoudemire.

Anthony, on the other hand, shot 1-for-11 in the second half and scored just three points. Late in the game he forced up unmakeable 3-pointers, committed an offensive foul, got stripped of his dribble and missed what would have been a game-winning 3-pointer with less two seconds to play.

Worse than all of that, from this perspective, was Anthony’s obvious disdain for how dominant Stoudemire was and how miserable of a night he was having. On possession after possession down the stretch it was obvious that when the ball got to Anthony it wasn’t going anywhere else. Despite what Anthony said after the game about the Knicks trying to ride Stoudemire’s hot hand, it was plain to see that Anthony had no intention of letting any other Knick try to be the hero.

ESPN New York columnist Ian O’Connor was right this morning in his assertion that the ball should have been going to Stoudemire down the stretch. He wrote, “the Knicks should have honored his effort by making his endgame touches an every-trip-down-the-floor proposition.”

Exactly.

When it comes right down to it, Stoudemire is the reason the Knicks had a chance to win Sunday night. He is, for that matter, the reason they are in the playoffs to begin with.

Anthony is a great player, and he obviously can carry the Knicks when he has things going. Part of playing with another superstar, however, is being willing to step aside when the other superstar has it going and you don’t.

Carmelo was not willing to do that Sunday night, and that selfishness might wind up sinking the Knicks’ season.

Celtics 87, Knicks 85: Game 1 To Boston On Ray Allen Jumper

Ray Allen’s three-pointer with 11.6 seconds left gave the Boston Celtics a hard-fought — and hard to take if you are a New York Knicks fans — 87-85 victory over New York in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round NBA Playoff series. Boston trailed by 12 at halftime and by five points with 3:37 to play.

Carmelo Anthony of the Knicks missed a long three-point attempt with 1.6 seconds remaining. The Knicks have still not won a playoff game since 2001.

Amare Stoudemire had 28 points, 11 rebounds and two blocked shots for the Knicks. Stoudemire had 12 of the Knicks 21 fourth-quarter points. Anthony finished with 15, but shot just five-for-18 and had only three points after halftime.

Boston had five players in double figures, led by Allen with 24 points. Paul Pierce had 18, Kevin Garnett 15, center Jermaine O’Neal turned in a strong performance with 12 points and four blocked shots, and Rajon Rondo had 10 points and nine assists.

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Boston at 7 p.m.

Knicks-Celtics Halftime Score: Knicks Lead Boston, 51-39

The New York Knicks silenced the crowd at TD Garden in Boston by taking a 51-39 halftime lead over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their first-round NBA Playoff series. Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire each scored 12 points in the first half for New York.

The sixth-seeded Knicks outscored the third-seeded Celtics, 28-15, in the second quarter. At one point New York went on a 23-9 run.

Rajon Rondo has 10 points to lead Boston, which is really exactly what the Knicks want. Rondo is the distributor for the Celtics and when he is forced to shoot rather than get the ball to Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen the Boston offense is not as good.

Boston led by a point after one quarter, 24-23, but missed an opportunity to open a lead as Anthony spent most of the period on the bench after picking up two fouls in the first 1:28.

New York Knicks at Boston Celtics - Game 1: Can Knicks Steal One in Boston?

As Sam Rosen once proclaimed, “The waiting is over!”. And while the New York Knicks haven’t reversed and jinxes or won a title, after seven years of misery, they’re back in the playoffs. The Knicks play their first playoff game since 2004’s sweep to the Nets when they face the Boston Celtics tonight in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first round series. As is always the mantra for a road team in a series, the Knicks will be looking to win a game in Boston and return to what will be a rabid Madison Square Garden with the series even. Tonight’s game might be the Knicks’ best chance to do so.

Now the Knicks have to find the chemistry that they’ve lacked for a good portion of the time after they acquired Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. Before the trade, it was Amare Stoudemire’s team. Now it’s Anthony’s. ‘Melo comes into the series as one of the hottest players in the NBA, and his shooting touch has looked perhaps the best it ever has in his career in the past ten games or so. Stoudemire will have his hands full on both ends, matching up with Kevin Garnett, who will get in Stoudemire’s face and make it difficult on every trip. Billups will need help from Toney Douglas in containing Rajon Rondo, and will have a tough time trying to break down the Celtics defense with Rondo guarding him. Anthony might just be the toughest player in the league to contain, so even with Paul Pierce guarding him, it will have to be Anthony to lead the Knicks.

It’s been well chronicled how the Celtics have struggled down the stretch since they traded Kendrick Perkins, and their usually robust front line is looking a lot thinner. Shaquille O’Neal will not play in Game 1, so the Celtics will turn to Jermaine O’Neal, Glen Davis, and Nenad Krstic to patrol the paint. But the real stars are still in tact, and there aren’t many other groups of teammates you’d rather have in the NBA than Garnett, Pierce, Rondo and Ray Allen. As was shown in the regular season matches against the Knicks, the Celtics straight up know how to win.

The Knicks best chance to take an early lead in the series will be to jump on Boston early and shoot well in the first half. If the Knicks can build an early lead in the game, they can take the life out of the TD Garden crowd, who have to be apprehensive about their team’s recent play. The Knicks can’t afford to go down early and let the Celtics get a groove, which would allow them to gain confidence on their home court.

So after years of meaningless games, the Knicks are back in the playoffs. A classic basketball rivalry is renewed. The Knicks, with their stars, will be looking to pull the upset. Stay tuned.

21 Years Of Waiting Is Over

NBA Playoffs: First Round Breakdown and Predictions

The NBA Playoffs begin this weekend, and the first round matchups have plenty of intrigue. The Knicks-Celtics series is the one with the most attention on it, given the new-look Knicks and the Celtics late-season struggles. Here are my breakdowns and predictions for each first round series.

Eastern Conference

Chicago Bulls (1) vs. Indiana Pacers (8) – The Pacers, with their 37-45 record only made the playoffs because of the mediocrity of the Eastern Conference. The Bulls, on the other hand, finished the season with the NBA’s best record. With likely MVP Derrick Rose and the suffocating defense Chicago plays under Tom Thibodeau, this will be a warm-up for the Bulls.

The Pick – Chicago in 4

Miami Heat (2) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (7) – So now the real test begins for the Big 2 ½ . As much as we all want to remember the Heat for crying in the locker room, if they win an NBA title, we’ll remember that, even if we won’t like it very much. The Heat can rewrite their up and down season (nice to be “up and down” and finish 58-24, right?) with a championship. It may not be as easy for the Heat in this series as some think, as the Sixers are very athletic and do defend well. Elton Brand could have a field day against Miami’s paltry front court. But LeBron, Wade and company are too talented in the end.

The Pick – Miami in 6

Boston Celtics (3) vs. New York Knicks (6) – The most intriguing first round series of the NBA Playoffs. Since trading Kendrick Perkins, the Celtics haven’t been the same team. They limped through the end of the regular season. Can their stars rise, as they have so often, and flip the switch? The Knicks, while not against great competition, played well down the stretch, winning seven of their last nine while shooting the ball efficiently and putting up gaudy numbers. Can Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire and Chauncey Billups find the chemistry that’s been lacking when all three are on the court together? If they do, it can be a long series. The Knicks will try to make the game as fast as possible, the Celtics as slow as possible. Stealing a game in Boston would be huge for New York, but eventually, the Celtics fourth quarter defense and veteran savvu will take them through.

The Pick – Boston in 7

Orlando Magic (4) vs. Atlanta Hawks (5) – Atlanta is 8-14 since March, including coming into the series on a six game losing streak. They’re going to have fits trying to stop Dwight Howard, who will be able to do whatever he wants in this series, as he has in the past against the Hawks in the playoffs. The Hawks aren’t any better than the Knicks or 76ers at this point, not very deserving of a 5 seed, and they’ll show why in a quick first round exit to the far superior Magic.

The Pick – Orlando in 5

Western Conference

San Antonio Spurs (1) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (8) –The Spurs were penned as a playoff team before the season, but many had thought their age had caught up with them. And although they finished with the West’s best record, their play as of late is indeed a bit alarming. They went 3-8 down the stretch and coughed up the league’s best record to the Bulls. Their first round may help them get on track, though. They draw the Memphis Grizzlies, who don’t match up too well with San Antonio. Zach Randolph had a big year for the Memphis, but the Spurs should be able to neutralize him with their front court depth. Manu Ginobili is questionable for the start of the series with a hyperextended elbow, but even if he sat the whole series, the Spurs should advance.

The Pick – San Antonio in 5

Los Angeles Lakers (2) vs. New Orleans Hornets (7) – Lakers fans held their breath when Andre Bynum went down on April 12 against the Spurs, and he’s listed as questionable for the opener of their series with New Orleans. The Lakers should be able to skate by without him in the first round, but not having him throughout the later rounds will seriously hinder their three-peat hopes. Still, this Lakers team is many people’s favorite to come out of the West, and for good reason. The Hornets were a surprise under first-year Head Coach Monty Williams, who did a very nice job with this bunch. Outside of Chris Paul and David West, they’re not very talented, and that gap between them and the Lakers will be too much to overcome.

The Pick – Los Angeles in 5

Dallas Mavericks (3) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (6) – The Mavericks nearly finished second in the West, equaling the Lakers with 57 wins. The clock is ticking on these Dirk Nowitzki-led Mavericks, as the German star isn’t getting any younger, while Jason Kidd and Jason Terry and getting to be on their last legs. Unfortunately for them, I realized that I haven’t picked one seeded upset yet, so I’m going to do that now. The Blazers are a good defensive team that doesn’t turn the ball over. They have some impressive wins down the stretch, including one over the Mavs. LaMarcus Aldridge had a true breakout season, and Gerald Wallace was a shrewd midseason pickup, as he does a little bit of everything. Portland is also a dominant home team that shoots well (80%) from the stripe.

The Pick – Portland in 7

Oklahoma City Thunder (4) vs. Denver Nuggets (5) – I want to root for my former Knicks here, but I think their season comes to an end in a tough series. The addition of Kendrick Perkins for the Thunder will pay off in the postseason. Between him and Serge Ibaka, the Thunder have a great defensive front court. Offensively, they’re nearly unstoppable with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The Nuggets are the top scoring team in the league, but their defense won’t be good enough in this series. Like the Knicks against the Celtics, they’ll try to outscore their opposition. Unfortunately, the Thunder have the best offensive weapon in the league on their side, so outscoring Oklahoma City won’t be a given

The Pick – Oklahoma City in 7

New York Knicks: Mission Impossible?

How can the Knicks pull off the upset in round one over the Celitcs?

SB Nation New York's 2010-11 NBA Awards

NBA Playoff Schedule 2011: Knicks-Celtics First-Round Schedule

The complete first-round schedule for the 2011 NBA Playoff series between the sixth-seeded New York Knicks and third-seeded Boston Celtics has now been released. It is as follows:

Game 1: Sun., April 17 in Boston, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 2: Tue., April 19 in Boston, 7 p.m., TNT
Game 3: Fri., April 22 in New York, TBD, ESPN
Game 4: Sun., April 24 in New York, 3:30 p.m., ABC
Game 5: Tue., April 26 in Boston, TBD
Game 6: Fri., April 29 in New York, TBD
Game 7: Sun., May 1 in Boston, TBD

The Western Conference pairings have also finally been determined. They are as follows:

No. 1 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies
No. 2 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 7 Charlotte Hornets
No. 3 Dallas Mavericks vs. No. 6 Portland Trail Blazers
No. 4. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 5 Denver Nuggets

SBNation.com has complete pairings and TV information for all of the first-round action.

Celtics 112, Knicks 102: Boston Wins Meaningless Regular-Season Finale

Boston, MA (Sports Network) – Avery Bradley scored 20 points to lead six Celtics in double figures, as Boston completed its season sweep of the New York Knicks with a 112-102 decision.

The game was a preview of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series, which starts Sunday at 7:00 p.m. (et) in Boston, though both teams sat most of their starters in the regular season finale.

“This is what the guys have been preparing for all year,” said Boston head coach Doc Rivers of the postseason.

Amare Stoudemire, however, did play for the first time in four games, and totaled 14 points in a little over 20 minutes for the Knicks.

Stoudemire’s return wasn’t enough against the reserves of the third-seeded Celtics (56-26), who got 19 points from Sasha Pavlovic, 17 from Glen Davis and 14 apiece from Jeff Green and Von Wafer.

The Knicks (42-40), who reached the postseason for the first time in seven years, were led by Landry Fields’ 16 points.

“It’s gonna be crucial of getting loose balls and rebounds and getting in the way of people,” said New York head coach Mike D’Antoni of the playoff meeting. “But I could be talking about any team because the formula for winning is the same everywhere.”

Stoudemire, recovering from an ankle injury, had eight points in the first quarter to carry the Knicks to a 28-27 lead.

Early in the second stanza, Pavlovic hit a pair of three-pointers during a 12-0 run, which helped the hosts take a 61-57 lead into the break.

The Celtics were up, 86-84, going into the final stanza and scored the first 11 points of the fourth to turn the close game in their favor.

Troy Murphy’s dunk four minutes in yielded a 97-84 cushion, and Boston cruised from there.

Celtics 112, Knicks 102: Boston Wins Meaningless Regular-Season Finale

Boston, MA (Sports Network) – Avery Bradley scored 20 points to lead six Celtics in double figures, as Boston completed its season sweep of the New York Knicks with a 112-102 decision.

The game was a preview of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series, which starts Sunday at 7:00 p.m. (et) in Boston, though both teams sat most of their starters in the regular season finale.

“This is what the guys have been preparing for all year,” said Boston head coach Doc Rivers of the postseason.

Amare Stoudemire, however, did play for the first time in four games, and totaled 14 points in a little over 20 minutes for the Knicks.

Stoudemire’s return wasn’t enough against the reserves of the third-seeded Celtics (56-26), who got 19 points from Sasha Pavlovic, 17 from Glen Davis and 14 apiece from Jeff Green and Von Wafer.

The Knicks (42-40), who reached the postseason for the first time in seven years, were led by Landry Fields’ 16 points.

“It’s gonna be crucial of getting loose balls and rebounds and getting in the way of people,” said New York head coach Mike D’Antoni of the playoff meeting. “But I could be talking about any team because the formula for winning is the same everywhere.”

Stoudemire, recovering from an ankle injury, had eight points in the first quarter to carry the Knicks to a 28-27 lead.

Early in the second stanza, Pavlovic hit a pair of three-pointers during a 12-0 run, which helped the hosts take a 61-57 lead into the break.

The Celtics were up, 86-84, going into the final stanza and scored the first 11 points of the fourth to turn the close game in their favor.

Troy Murphy’s dunk four minutes in yielded a 97-84 cushion, and Boston cruised from there.

Celtics 112, Knicks 102: Boston Wins Meaningless Regular-Season Finale

Boston, MA (Sports Network) – Avery Bradley scored 20 points to lead six Celtics in double figures, as Boston completed its season sweep of the New York Knicks with a 112-102 decision.

The game was a preview of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series, which starts Sunday at 7:00 p.m. (et) in Boston, though both teams sat most of their starters in the regular season finale.

“This is what the guys have been preparing for all year,” said Boston head coach Doc Rivers of the postseason.

Amare Stoudemire, however, did play for the first time in four games, and totaled 14 points in a little over 20 minutes for the Knicks.

Stoudemire’s return wasn’t enough against the reserves of the third-seeded Celtics (56-26), who got 19 points from Sasha Pavlovic, 17 from Glen Davis and 14 apiece from Jeff Green and Von Wafer.

The Knicks (42-40), who reached the postseason for the first time in seven years, were led by Landry Fields’ 16 points.

“It’s gonna be crucial of getting loose balls and rebounds and getting in the way of people,” said New York head coach Mike D’Antoni of the playoff meeting. “But I could be talking about any team because the formula for winning is the same everywhere.”

Stoudemire, recovering from an ankle injury, had eight points in the first quarter to carry the Knicks to a 28-27 lead.

Early in the second stanza, Pavlovic hit a pair of three-pointers during a 12-0 run, which helped the hosts take a 61-57 lead into the break.

The Celtics were up, 86-84, going into the final stanza and scored the first 11 points of the fourth to turn the close game in their favor.

Troy Murphy’s dunk four minutes in yielded a 97-84 cushion, and Boston cruised from there.

Knicks At Celtics Game 1: Sunday Night In Boston

The New York Knicks will make their long-awaited return to the NBA Playoffs on Sunday night. The NBA has announced the schedule of opening first-round games, and the Knicks will be at Boston to face the Celtics Sunday at 7 p.m. ET (TNT).

The other Eastern Conference matchups are as follows:

No. 1 Chicago vs. No. 8 Indiana — Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN

No. 2 Miami vs. No. 7 Philadelphia — Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC

No. 4 Orlando vs. No. 5 Atlanta — Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN

Western Conference pairings are not set yet as the outcomes of this evening’s games will determine the seedings.

SB Nation New York will have all of your Knicks’ playoff coverage as we see if Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, Chauncey Billups and the Knicks have found enough chemistry to get past the championship-tested Celtics in the opening round of the playoffs.

Knicks And Rangers Playoffs: Underdogs At The Garden

-- The Knicks and Rangers are in the postseason together for the first time since 1997. Both will be underdogs when the NBA and NHL playoffs begin later this week.
--For complete news and analysis of the Knicks check out SB Nation's Posting and Toasting, and for all things Rangers go to Blueshirt Banter.

NBA Playoff Schedule: Knicks To Face Celtics In Eastern Conference

The New York Knicks will be the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and will meet the third-seeded Boston Celtics when the NBA playoffs begin Saturday. This will mark the Knicks first playoff appearance since 2004.

All of the Eastern Conference pairings are now set, with the regular season nearly concluded. The pairings are as follows:

• Bulls (1) vs. Pacers (8)
• Heat (2) vs. 76ers (7)
• Celtics (3) vs. Knicks (6)
• Magic (4) vs. Hawks (5)

There is still much to be decided in the Western Conference as playoff seedings will come right down to the final game of the regular season. The eight playoff teams have been determined, and the San Antonio Spurs will be the No. 1 seed. The Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunders are still jockeying for the second, third and fourth seeds, however. The Lakers and Spurs square off tonight with the Lakers having lost five straight games as the playoffs approach.

Knicks, Celtics To Revive Rivalry In First Round of NBA Playoffs

It's been a while since the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics matchup has felt like a rivalry. The natural Boston-New York hatred will get a basketball boost this year, as the teams have drawn each other for the first round of the NBA Playoffs, to begin this upcoming weekend.