The Boston Celtics are a testament to the old saying that you live and die by the three, and nothing has been more true in their first two games against the New York Knicks.
Blowing two games in a row in the playoffs is rare, but even more rare is when you lead by more than 20 points in both games. The Celtics seem so intent on settling for a three, even if the look is not the best, that they pay for it dearly against a scrappy Knicks team.
While it is fun to watch your team go on a run when they hit three after three and light up the scoreboard, it is even more frustrating to watch them continue to settle for shots that are not falling instead of driving to the basket for an easy two.
Something will have to change for the defending champions this Saturday in New York, because if they follow the exact blueprint, they may end up down 0-3.
The Celtics have given life to the Knicks, even though, based on talent alone, the Celtics are the better team. Not having Porzingis for long stretches at a time due to his ongoing battle with illness has affected the team, as he was the perfect blend of getting to the basket while also draining three-pointers.
Jaylen Brown had the right mindset in Game 2 by driving to the basket, but the rest of the team seemed unwilling to follow suit. Truth be told, when Brown is leading your team in scoring, the games usually do not favor the Celtics. time
Jayson Tatum is the one player who can change the narrative in this series.
He is highly talented and able to use his size to get into the paint and post up.
Tatum loves to shoot the three, which I understand, but when you have the skills to not only hit a three-point shot but also drive to the basket and get physical, this is the skill set that is needed. The Celtics are not dead, and this series is not over; there is a long way to go. Still, the facts are that if the Celtics continue to let the Knicks claw their way back into games in the fourth quarter, then Jalen Brunson and company will have a legitimate chance to win the game, as they have been clutch all postseason.
The Knicks’ series against the Pistons was viewed as a team struggling to beat a team they were favored to win, but in reality, it was a series where the Knicks played a physical team that helped them get battle-tested. The Celtics have not played that kind of physical basketball all year, and they certainly have the talent to do so, especially if they can get Porzingis back in playing more significant minutes.
Since taking over as head coach, Joe Mazzulla has led the Celtics to a championship and the conference finals three out of the last four years. He is now trying to will his team to their fourth straight appearance.
It will be a challenging task if he does not make some adjustments to counter Tom Thibodeau and his defense’s first-game plan. The fact that the Celtics have been up over twenty points in both games shows that they can put the nail in the coffin of the Knicks’ season if they buckle down, play smart basketball, and stop settling for jump shots when layups are sitting right there to be had. I know it’s frustrating, Celtics Nation, and knowing that your team is better than they’re playing can be incredibly disappointing.
Saturday is a must-win game for Boston because if they don’t and go down 0-3 to the Knicks, they will need to make history or be a part of it. This team is too talented and should have the fire and desire to hang banner number 19 at the TD Garden.
As part of being a Celtic, it is expected to play at a championship-caliber level day in and day out. There is still hope, but if they do not adjust their style of play when their three-pointers stop falling, they will see their repeat chances slip away.
A massive game at Madison Square Garden is set for Saturday, and it’s a perfect day for the Celtics to play a complex, physical type of game and show the Knicks that there will be no more miracle comebacks this series.
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