Knicks vs. Celtics

[SpiralHawk]

This is going to be good. Go Celtics...

The Knicks will mark their return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-4 season with a first-round matchup against the heavily favored Boston Celtics...

...The Knicks and the Celtics are part of the N.B.A.’s original franchises and their playoff matchups date back to the 1950-51 season...

--------

...The Knicks will conclude the regular season with back-to-back games against Chicago and in Boston, beginning Tuesday (today).

The Celtics lead the season series against the Knicks, three games to none...

...The Knicks’ series with the Celtics will probably open on Sunday in Boston. Games 3 and 4 will be played at Madison Square Garden.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/12/sports/basketball/12nba.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha27

[joeybee12]

1. All I gotta say is, "We're screwed." nt

[SpiralHawk]

2. Maybe. It does look like the Knicks might gear up and kick Celtic booty

Knicks appear to be on their way up, while Celts appear headed down...but...don't let hope dribble away...

[joeybee12]

3. It's more than dribbling away, it's left the building...nt

[SpiralHawk]

4. Nah. Jungle Jim Luscutoff gonna reincarnate, like a scene from Damn Yankees

...and he will lead the Latter Day Celtics to a first round triumph. You read it here first. (Jungle Jim wore 18 before Dave Cowens -- on of my all-time favorite Celts).

[joeybee12]

5. Great photo of Jungle Jim...the look really encapuslates an era...nt

[SpiralHawk]

6. Bulls beat Knicks - in penultimate regular-season game...

"...the Knicks closed out their home schedule with a 103-90 loss to the Chicago Bulls, the top team in the East, snapping their seven-game winning streak...

"...Stoudemire will probably be held out of Wednesday’s season finale in Boston as well."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/13/sports/basketball/13knicks.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha27

[SpiralHawk]

7. "We are dangerous." - Chauncey Billups

“I think that we are probably the most dangerous first-round team in the N.B.A.,” Billups said. “When I say that, it’s because we are fresh and we are new. We are dangerous. We got a lot of weapons...”


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/13/sports/basketball/13knicks.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha27

[RockaFowler]

8. He's joking right

They were up by 5 points at the half and then the 3rd Quarter started. The Bulls went on a 20-2 run. I don't find the Knicks dangerous at all.

[lazarus]

9. The Knicks won't be good as constituted

no team defense. Yeah, they'll score tons of points, but look at D'Antoni's teams in Phoenix. Good regular season, tons of points, everyone loved them, crap in the playoffs.

Of the bottom bracket teams, Portland is probably the most dangerous, followed by Denver.

[JonLP24]

16. I was satisfied with him

Two conference finals in a row. You may laugh but as the Suns went to just 2 finals (that they didn't win) in their entire history and he took them to their first conference finals since they went to the NBA finals in 1993. He was pretty good, plus I think they lost to better teams. Would of also liked to see the conference semi-finals (after the two conference finals) without the Horry shove and Donaghy refed gamed.

I will say he crapped his final year in the first round but overall, satisfied with his playoff performance when you take into account the Suns history.

[SpiralHawk]

10. Celts top Knicks in meaningless, regular-season finale. 112-102

A WHOLE LOT OF PINE RIDING GOING ON...Z-Z-Z-Z-Z

"Rookie Avery Bradley poured in a game-high 20 points on 10-of-16 shooting over 27 minutes off the bench, while Sasha Pavlovic chipped in 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting over 35 minutes off the pine in what amounted to a mere playoff appetizer..."

"...Bradley, a 6’2” guard, was the Celtic’s First Round pick (19th overall) in the 2010 NBA Draft. The former Texas Longhorn averaged 11.6 points, 1.29 steals and shot 37.5 percent from beyond the three point arc during his only season in college.

Read more: http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=6130#ixzz1JUOyXbQY

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4682887/rapid-reaction-2

[SpiralHawk]

11. Celtics leading 1st playoff game by 1 in the first quarter

Now you can go back to your Sunday nap...

[lazarus]

12. the Knicks are surprising me

I've only been half-watching, but early on, they played some team defense on a couple of possessions. Very surprising.

[SpiralHawk]

13. Final: Celtics 87 - Knicks 85

The rIvAlrY is bAcK...

"...They played the Boston Celtics, the defending Eastern Conference champions, down to the final seconds, losing only when Ray Allen — the author of countless memorable playoff moments — got the ball and a little open space at the arc...

"Allen, the N.B.A.’s career 3-point leader, took a pass from Paul Pierce and sent the ball through the net with 11.6 seconds left, sending TD Garden into a happy frenzy..."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/18/sports/basketball/18knicks.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha27

[SpiralHawk]

14. I'm picking the Celtics in Game 2

Surprise, surprise.

Actually, I have been following New York - Boston sports for over 50 freaking creaky years. One does develop a feel for things. Sometimes.

The dynamics of this series will shift in New York. No doubt about that. But I think the Celtics know how important game 2 is in this rivalry, and that they will do what they need to do at home to get the W.

Tipoff is at 7 eastern.

Here's a pre-game peek from The Globe:
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2011/04/game_2_knicks_a.html

[madinmaryland]

15. You picked correctly. TNT tried really hard to keep the camera on Spike Lee,

but it didn't work!

Go C's!!!

[joeybee12]

18. If you're a Knicks fan, you should have watched TNT...all the focus on Lee

would have converted any decent person into a Celtics fan.

[SpiralHawk]

17. Celtics win, 96-93

Celtics take 2-0 lead"

""The Celtics didn't do anything special; they won two games on their home court," said Anthony, who came back from a disappointing Game 1 to turn in a virtuoso performance in the loss, scoring 42 points...

"On one hand, that makes sense.

"The old saw is that playoff series don't start until one team loses on its home floor, and New York has hung with Boston nearly every step of the way in these first two games...

Series heads to New York for Game 3 on Friday night...

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Daylight-fading-for-wounded-Knicks-as-Celtics-ta?urn=nba-wp1734

[SpiralHawk]

19. Celtics take game 3 == 113 to 96

That's about all she wrote, folks...

[joeybee12]

20. After Game one I kep reading all the experts talking about what a

clasic series this was going to be...doesn't seem like it now.

[SpiralHawk]

21. The way they were...

...misty watercolored memories...

[joeybee12]

22. Guy needs an eyebrow comb!

The rivalry is NOT back, unless the Knicks somehow suddenly catch fire.

[JonLP24]

23. *cough*

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=215&topic_id=176315&mesg_id=176316 *cough*

Though I would never rule out a team winning 4 in a row, it can happen but I think a lot of the experts were probably paying too much attention to the last 10 games of the season where I think the Knicks won like 6 in a row. Overall they were struggling since the trade.

[bluedigger]

24. I'm with Ryan, I think.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2011/04/23/rondo_has_found_his_calling_again/

The jist is that Rondo is the engine that drives the Celtics. It's his team now. The Big Three are already certain HOFers, but it's Rondo who drives the car. When he is on, they are as good a team as there is. When he isn't, they may or may not play well, and are beatable. The good thing is that the Knicks appear to be the perfect team to get Rondo into a playoff groove.

[SpiralHawk]

25. Celtics Sweep Knicks Out of Playoffs

Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Sun, April 24, 2011 -- 6:35 PM ET
-----

Boston Celtics Sweep Knicks Out of Playoffs

The Celtics made the Knicks' return to the postseason brief,
knocking them out of the playoffs in four games with a 101-89
victory on Sunday.

Celtics become the first team to make it into the 2nd round...

The Celtics could now have a week off while they wait for likely second-round opponent Miami, which was forced to a fifth game earlier Sunday after a late rally by Philadelphia.

Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/04/24/sports/basketball/AP-BKN-Celtics-Knicks.html?emc=na

[chelsea0011]

26. I used to get a kick out of Yankee fans before 2004 when the there was talk

of the Sox/Yankees rivalry, and some would respond "what rivalry"? And, they ere right. So when the Knicks make it to the playoffs all I heard was a renewal of the rivalry. And I thought, "what rivalry"?