ESPN thinks Knicks can win after Game 1

[kg is king]

LINK.

ESPN seems to think that we are lucky to be coming out with a victory after in night's game, describing it as "they stole one". They think that Anthony shouldn't have been called for the offensive foul, and that Celtics in 7 sounds a little more realistic than Knicks in 6. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! Celtics in 5 sounds MUCH more realistic than Knicks in 7 by 1 point.

Wow, they think the Knicks can really keep pace with us. They are laying it out like the series now depends on the health of Billups. OMFG!!! Yet when the Heat or Bulls almost blow their games, they say the other teams were just lucky to have such good games, and still lost.

This drives me really mad. I just want to make the ESPN cats shut the f§&% up!

ESPN does have a point. The Carmelo call was a little controversial given that they allowed the physical play in the second half and they let most of those ticky tack fouls go. Calling that foul in a crucial possession, I can see why NY fans are angry over it. And that is not to mention the fact that KG tripped Douglas on Ray's winning shot. So I have no problem with ESPN saying the Celtics stole one.

Overall, the game was very close until the last minute. So I don't see why we can assume that we'll just roll over the Knicks. As much I dislike their style, they have shown that they're ready for us and will put up more efforts like last night for the rest of the series.

[fairweatherfan]

Is this what you're talking about?

4. What's your take on Knicks-Celtics Game 1 and the rest of the series?


Royce Webb, ESPN.com: I really thought for a few minutes there that we were just days away from another epic Heat-Knicks playoff battle. And maybe we still are. But it feels a lot more like Celtics in seven than it does Knicks in six after Boston stole one on its own parquet floor. One wild card among many: How is Chauncey Billups' knee?

Jared Wade, Hardwood Paroxysm: We knew the Celtics were the better team, but the Knicks showed the world that the disparity is not as great as it may have seemed. Their dearth of defense is their well-known Achilles' heel, so it was impressive to see them kick off the postseason by holding Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to 16-for-44 shooting. As in Game 1, Boston will still pull out the series, but the Knicks might not be as far away as some thought.

J.M. Poulard, WarriorsWorld: A lot is riding on Billups' health, but Amare Stoudemire and his teammates showed that they are not afraid to go right at the Celtics. This should be a physical series in which teams exchange a lot of big shots in the fourth quarters. Carmelo Anthony will have to play better for the Knicks to have a chance to win this series, but the truth is, I'm not sure he will.

Matt McHale, By the Horns: The Celtics still haven't really re-established their identity since the Kendrick Perkins trade, but they have the talent to go toe-to-toe with anybody. Meanwhile, the Knicks haven't set the world on fire since trading for Carmelo Anthony, but they have the offensive firepower to potentially beat any team on any given night. I genuinely wouldn't be surprised to see six more games that are as competitive as Game 1.

Robert Silverman, KnickerBlogger: In Game 1, neither team put forth its finest effort, but the Knicks showed more defensive moxie than we'd seen since Jeff Van Gundy patrolled the sidelines. To still fall short's gotta smart. The keys now are (a) whether losing an utterly winnable game is a "we can play with these guys" rallying cry or sends them into a funk, and (b) the severity of Billups' injury. The thought of Anthony Carter getting more than 20 minutes a game is enough to make any 'Bocker backer queasy.

Three of five say Boston takes the series, and the other two don't say one way or the other (although it sounds like they think the Knicks have a hard road).

Yeah, I don't see much disrespect there, unless you see expecting a competitive series after a very competitive Game 1 as disrespect. 

It's also odd how the opinions of one or two people of several ESPN has discuss a series suddenly become "what ESPN thinks" or "what ESPN wants".  It's analysis, that's how it works.  If you support a team most analysts will probably be less favorable than your opinion of them. There's a lot of reading between the lines that seems to boil down to who has a persecution complex.

[Assassin70]

Thing that gets me is Knicks fans are crying about this call and that call etc...

Bottom line is Knicks still had the last possession with a chance to tie or win and choked.

I will take that anytime you give it to me...after things the things that didn't go your way you still have time to win or tie...what team doesnt want that 

That is all you can ask for.

[kg is king]

Thing that gets me is Knicks fans are crying about this call and that call etc...

Bottom line is Knicks still had the last possession with a chance to tie or win and choked.

I will take that anytime you give it to me...after things the things that didn't go your way you still have time to win or tie...what team doesnt want that 

That is all you can ask for.

TP bratha

[Who]

After seeing Doc's rotation, I think the Knicks have a much better chance at making some noise in this series than I did coming into it. They won't win the series but they are going to be a much tougher out than they should be.

Well assuming Billups can make it back and be effective. Otherwise they are dead in the water.

[scootman]

they of course failed to mention that after they shot the lights out during the first half. we locked down defensively and they shot only like 18 percent the second half. not going to win many games that way. god do i despise national media

[dtrader]

Thing that gets me is Knicks fans are crying about this call and that call etc...

Bottom line is Knicks still had the last possession with a chance to tie or win and choked.

I will take that anytime you give it to me...after things the things that didn't go your way you still have time to win or tie...what team doesnt want that 

That is all you can ask for.

I'm sure that if there were no questionable calls, and the game just came down to them being down 2 with 10 seconds left and the ball, there wouldn't be any fuss.

However..when you've had your lead cut down (in some peoples eyes) after a turnover on a bad offensive foul, and then a 3 that was a result of (what some consider) a blatantly illegal pick that sends one of your players to the floor...you're not left too happy to have 10 seconds to salvage the game

[Finkelskyhook]

It's hard to take a network with such learned commentators as the delusional Skip Bayless and the barely literate racists Jamele Hill and Jalen Rose seriously on predictions.

[Eric_Suede]

Quite frankly if you want to have a knee-jerk reaction based on game 1's. Each & every series thus far has been competitive and games have been "stolen". Look @ chicago/Pacers series or Memphis/spurs. I was just mentioning that to my father how so far so good no blowouts as of yet. Each game came down to the critical 2-minute drill.

[Moranis]

LINK.

ESPN seems to think that we are lucky to be coming out with a victory after in night's game, describing it as "they stole one". They think that Anthony shouldn't have been called for the offensive foul, and that Celtics in 7 sounds a little more realistic than Knicks in 6. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! Celtics in 5 sounds MUCH more realistic than Knicks in 7 by 1 point.

Wow, they think the Knicks can really keep pace with us. They are laying it out like the series now depends on the health of Billups. OMFG!!! Yet when the Heat or Bulls almost blow their games, they say the other teams were just lucky to have such good games, and still lost.

This drives me really mad. I just want to make the ESPN cats shut the f§&% up!

Is this what you're talking about?

4. What's your take on Knicks-Celtics Game 1 and the rest of the series?


Royce Webb, ESPN.com: I really thought for a few minutes there that we were just days away from another epic Heat-Knicks playoff battle. And maybe we still are. But it feels a lot more like Celtics in seven than it does Knicks in six after Boston stole one on its own parquet floor. One wild card among many: How is Chauncey Billups' knee?

Jared Wade, Hardwood Paroxysm: We knew the Celtics were the better team, but the Knicks showed the world that the disparity is not as great as it may have seemed. Their dearth of defense is their well-known Achilles' heel, so it was impressive to see them kick off the postseason by holding Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to 16-for-44 shooting. As in Game 1, Boston will still pull out the series, but the Knicks might not be as far away as some thought.

J.M. Poulard, WarriorsWorld: A lot is riding on Billups' health, but Amare Stoudemire and his teammates showed that they are not afraid to go right at the Celtics. This should be a physical series in which teams exchange a lot of big shots in the fourth quarters. Carmelo Anthony will have to play better for the Knicks to have a chance to win this series, but the truth is, I'm not sure he will.

Matt McHale, By the Horns: The Celtics still haven't really re-established their identity since the Kendrick Perkins trade, but they have the talent to go toe-to-toe with anybody. Meanwhile, the Knicks haven't set the world on fire since trading for Carmelo Anthony, but they have the offensive firepower to potentially beat any team on any given night. I genuinely wouldn't be surprised to see six more games that are as competitive as Game 1.

Robert Silverman, KnickerBlogger: In Game 1, neither team put forth its finest effort, but the Knicks showed more defensive moxie than we'd seen since Jeff Van Gundy patrolled the sidelines. To still fall short's gotta smart. The keys now are (a) whether losing an utterly winnable game is a "we can play with these guys" rallying cry or sends them into a funk, and (b) the severity of Billups' injury. The thought of Anthony Carter getting more than 20 minutes a game is enough to make any 'Bocker backer queasy.

Three of five say Boston takes the series, and the other two don't say one way or the other (although it sounds like they think the Knicks have a hard road).

and 1 of those 2 is from the Knickerblogger web-site.  You think he might just maybe have more faith in the Knicks then your normal blogger.

[2short]

they of course failed to mention that after they shot the lights out during the first half. we locked down defensively and they shot only like 18 percent the second half. not going to win many games that way. god do i despise national media

you took the 18% right out of my mouth
i think something that did jump out at me is carmelo anthony can't defend paul pierce, did not look like an upper level player AND should have been fouled out

[soap07]

Thing that gets me is Knicks fans are crying about this call and that call etc...

Bottom line is Knicks still had the last possession with a chance to tie or win and choked.

I will take that anytime you give it to me...after things the things that didn't go your way you still have time to win or tie...what team doesnt want that 

That is all you can ask for.

Um, I think the Knicks would also take having the ball and the lead rather than having it without the lead considering that KG got away with a fairly obvious illegal screen. I'd even venture to say they would've rather had that.

[Brendan]

After seeing Doc's rotation...

Can you provide some insight into what he's doing versus what you'd like to see for rotations?

[anthony83]

I don´t like ESPN, everybody wants to see Boston lose.

GO CELTICS¡¡¡

[throwedoff]

So they're gonna act like we played our A game or sumthin? I predict KG and Pierce having better games tomorrow this series will be over in 5 maybe 6 like i predicted earlier