How do we match up with the Knicks this year?

[j804]

we are sooooooooo screwed when KG sits.

Fear no more we got the Shav'ster!

[Fred Roberts]

I think the Celts could win a NYK series, but it would be a long, 7 game series leaving us a little wiped out for the 2nd round.

The Celts have an old superstar nucleus surrounding by a lot of good, young supporting players. The Knicks have a young superstar nucleus surrounded by a lot of good, older supporting players. Actually most of their old players (K. Thomas, Camby, Sheed etc) are hurt so maybe this logic doesn't apply.

They also drop a lot more 3 bombs than us and at a higher %. There is tons of talent on this team and at some point, it's going to translate to victories in the playoffs. 

There is crazy pressure on Carmelo, Chandler and the Knicks to do some winning in the post season and I think they'll be ultra hungry this year. As first round outs the past two post seasons with Melo, my gut tells me the Celts are in for a tough match up this time around. The Knicks might just be due.

Then again, never doubt the Celts. They've surprised us many times before and could easily do so again this year if PP, Jeff, KG, PitBull and co get nasty. Either way, I'd much rather be facing the Nets in round 1. Too bad we couldn't get there.

No Shavlick, no glory. It's gonna be fun no matter what.

[CelticD]

it depends on how well the celtics defend the 3-point shooters.

over a third of the knicks' points come from 3-pointers. take that away from them and u have a very non-scary team.

[CelticConcourse]

Bradley + Crawford -- Smith + Prigioni
Lee + Terry -- Felton + Kidd
Pierce + Green -- Melo + Shumpert
KG -- Chandler
Bass - (Amare?)

If Amar'e is out, I think Bass will actually be the one who decides the series. Bass and Amar'e would have nearly cancelled out, imo, but if Amar'e is out, we need Bass to own.

Shavlik + DJ -- Camby + Thomas

[PhoSita]

the sense of entitlement over them....they're a better team then us folks and have proven it during the season and head to head, we'll be lucky to beat them in the playoffs

Yeah, this was my reaction to most of this thread, too.

People think just because one team is the Celtics and the other is the Knicks that they know how it'll go once the playoffs begin.  Sorry to say it, guys, but one of these teams is a 55+ win squad (i.e. elite) and the other will be lucky to finish over .500 (i.e. mediocre).

Huh?  I don't see a sense of entitlement.  I see some of us trying to answer the question of how to best match up against the Knicks, is all. 

Personally, I'm not saying that I think it will be easy or that we'll even be the favorites in the series, but I definitely think we can beat them.

I think people just view the matchup through very heavily tinted green goggles is all.  People talk about the matchups as if it were 2009 or something.

With all of the injuries the Celtics have sustained, the Knicks are the more talented and more balanced team.  They have the best player in the series, a much better bench, more size up front, and more playoff experience on the roster (really -- it's been a long time since you could say that about a Celtics opponent).

On top of that, the Knicks have been far and away the better team over the course of the regular season.  Part of what I mean by entitlement is the fact that Celtics fans are willing to chuck seven months worth of evidence on the assumption that the Celtics have some mystical mojo that will turn them into an elite team once the playoffs start despite the fact that they're missing two starters, including their best player.

[PhoSita]

Bass and Amar'e would have nearly cancelled out

Uhm . . . excuse me?

[CelticsFan9]

I'd rather drop to the eighth seed and play Miami, just to get it over with, but I'd be glad to take on NY.

I like how we match up, especially KG vs. Chandler.  Garnett's jumper pulls Chandler out of the paint, opening driving lanes for Green and Pierce.

The key to the series is JR Smith's production.  We're not stopping Anthony, he's just a force.  But if we can limit Smith to say, 15-17 points a game, rather than the 22 or so he's been averaging since Stoudemire went down, we'll have the advantage.

We also need to keep the threes to around 10 makes a game.  Anything more and it could get ugly.

Plus, I've got a bet with a friend that if Boston and NY meet, the Celtics would take it in 6.   

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I think we can beat any team, I also think we matchup well with NYK AND the cHeat... BUT I think we matchup better with Mia (no matter how scared of them Doc seems to be).

We have 2 Melos in PP and Green, so Melo can do him and PP and Green can take turns doing the same and they both can play solid D on him.

Chandler is probably going to pnr us to death and he is going to be allowed to foul w/o being called (such is playoff ball). BUT if we can get him into foul trouble, there is no one I fear behind him... not even the players who abused us in his absence during the regular season.

Smith is going to be huge for them, he throws up garbage shots so even the best D has problems with him! If we can contain him, or at least get a couple guys like Jet and Craw to offset him (together lol), then it won't be such a problem.



I think Bass is going to be key with or w/o Amare. But our real key to victory will be AB and Lee on OFFENSE. If neither of them (especially AB) can't find a rhythm to their offense, we are screwed! It isn't surprising that the time we beat them, AB was hot like lava! Last season AB wasn't as good in the playoffs on offense as he had been b4 them, he had room to drop off in play in the playoffs last season b/c he was so good and on fire during the regular season. This season, he can't get ANY worse b/c he's killing us offensively as it is! AB must find a rhythm and hope he can sustain it. PLEASE LET AB FIND A SUSTAINABLE AND GOOD OFFENSIVE RHYTHM!!!

[Nowee]

I like us better against the Pacers.
Hoping for a 6th seed here.

[CelticConcourse]

Bass and Amar'e would have nearly cancelled out

Uhm . . . excuse me?

In 5 matchups over the past two seasons, Bass has shot 53.7% on Amar'e while 54.5% on Bass.

Seems about even to me.

[scaryjerry]

This is silly to think we match up better with the heat...um no. both teams play the same way and the heat have the better players.

Not to disregard the knicks, which is the second most annoying thing in this thread...the sense of entitlement over them....they're a better team then us folks and have proven it during the season and head to head, we'll be lucky to beat them in the playoffs

season series don't mean a thing in the playoffs.

Sure, if we're talking about a 4 and a 5 seed..

 the knicks being a better team all season means nothing? 

[CelticConcourse]

This is silly to think we match up better with the heat...um no. both teams play the same way and the heat have the better players.

Not to disregard the knicks, which is the second most annoying thing in this thread...the sense of entitlement over them....they're a better team then us folks and have proven it during the season and head to head, we'll be lucky to beat them in the playoffs

season series don't mean a thing in the playoffs.

Sure, if we're talking about a 4 and a 5 seed..

 the knicks being a better team all season means nothing? 

Stats from January 27 - March 8th
Boston Celtics: 14-4
New York Knicks: 10-7

I would suggest doing the research prior to using universal quantifiers 

[Celtics18]

the sense of entitlement over them....they're a better team then us folks and have proven it during the season and head to head, we'll be lucky to beat them in the playoffs

Yeah, this was my reaction to most of this thread, too.

People think just because one team is the Celtics and the other is the Knicks that they know how it'll go once the playoffs begin.  Sorry to say it, guys, but one of these teams is a 55+ win squad (i.e. elite) and the other will be lucky to finish over .500 (i.e. mediocre).

Huh?  I don't see a sense of entitlement.  I see some of us trying to answer the question of how to best match up against the Knicks, is all. 

Personally, I'm not saying that I think it will be easy or that we'll even be the favorites in the series, but I definitely think we can beat them.

I think people just view the matchup through very heavily tinted green goggles is all.  People talk about the matchups as if it were 2009 or something.

With all of the injuries the Celtics have sustained, the Knicks are the more talented and more balanced team.  They have the best player in the series, a much better bench, more size up front, and more playoff experience on the roster (really -- it's been a long time since you could say that about a Celtics opponent).

On top of that, the Knicks have been far and away the better team over the course of the regular season.  Part of what I mean by entitlement is the fact that Celtics fans are willing to chuck seven months worth of evidence on the assumption that the Celtics have some mystical mojo that will turn them into an elite team once the playoffs start despite the fact that they're missing two starters, including their best player.

There's no mystical mojo.  We are a seven seed and they are a two seed.  It fairly much goes without saying that in that case they ought to be the favorites.  I still think we match up fairly well. 

I feel that KG vs. Chandler is a good matchup for us.  Kevin should be able to pull him out of the paint some so he can't clog the middle.  Chandler is active, for sure, but I don't see him as a real offensive threat. 

I really like having both Paul and Jeff to battle against Anthony.  If we can minimize the need for double teams, we'll have a better chance to close out on their shooters. 

Bradley and Terry are sort of wild cards, in my opinion.  Jet's been talking about stepping up his game a lot lately.  Now is the time.  He doesn't need to put up fantastic numbers, but a couple of timely late game buckets in the playoffs will go a long way towards forgiveness from the faithful.  Avery's been pretty awful offensively lately, but I still think that his ball pressure can help turn the series in our favor. 

Not having Rondo is obviously going to hurt, but hopefully our point forward can keep balling the way he has for the second half of the season. 

Maybe that's all blind optimism, but I like our chances.  This isn't Bucks/Heat we are talking about here. 

[CelticConcourse]

After thinking long and hard about this, three things will decide this series for us.

(1) Defending Knicks' three-pointers
(2) Brandon Bass continuing strong play
(3) Avery Bradley either making shots or not taking shots

[scaryjerry]

This is silly to think we match up better with the heat...um no. both teams play the same way and the heat have the better players.

Not to disregard the knicks, which is the second most annoying thing in this thread...the sense of entitlement over them....they're a better team then us folks and have proven it during the season and head to head, we'll be lucky to beat them in the playoffs

season series don't mean a thing in the playoffs.

Sure, if we're talking about a 4 and a 5 seed..

 the knicks being a better team all season means nothing? 

Stats from January 27 - March 8th
Boston Celtics: 14-4
New York Knicks: 10-7

I would suggest doing the research prior to using universal quantifiers 

Yawn.

This is like a knicks fan grasping at straws before we swept them in the playoffs in 2011 pointing to record in a stretch of time we weren't playing well

Knicks have been a better team this season...deal with it