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The defending champion Boston Celtics are in a deep hole in the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals, losing two straight home games to New York with the daunting task of overcoming tough odds to survive the best-of-seven series. To repulse the Knicks, Boston must win twice on the road if the Celtics hope to clinch in seven or thrice if they seal in six. Either way, it’s a rough road to advance because the only way Boston can shake off New York is to win in six or seven.
New York’s emergence wasn’t as surprising as Boston’s collapse. In losing two straight at home to open the duel, the Celtics blew a 20-point lead in both setbacks. The Knicks took Game 1, 108-105 in OT and Game 2, 91-90. Game 3 is set at Madison Square Garden tomorrow (Sunday, 3:30 a.m., Manila time).
In four regular season encounters, the Celtics blanked New York. The Celtics were merciless in the first two outings, 132-109 at home and 131-104 on the road. The margin was less in the third meeting but still sizable, 118-105 in Boston. The Knicks put up a fight in the fourth face-off but wilted in the end, 119-117 in OT in New York.
In the playoffs against New York, Kristaps Porzingis has been a missing piece for the Celtics. In Game 1, he was scoreless in 13 minutes and left the contest for good in the second quarter, citing lack of energy due to an unspecified illness, not an injury. Porzingis missed 40 games in the regular season mainly because of an upper respiratory condition and it seems that the problem has recurred. In Game 2, he gave up his starting job to 38-year-old Al Horford and came off the bench to deliver eight points. Horford contributed four in a forgettable stint.
Porzingis’ absence isn’t the only reason why the Celtics are stumbling. In Game 1, Boston took 60 three-point attempts and missed 45 compared to New York’s 17-of-37 rate. The Celtics were No. 1 in the regular season in three-point makes (17.8) and attempts (48.2) but No. 10 in percentage at .368. Putting your life on the line by living or dying with the three-point is a risky proposition. Mazzulla rolled the dice and the Knicks capitalized. OJ Anunoby and Jalen Brunson fired 29 each to pace the Knicks but Karl Anthony Towns and Josh Hart delivered double doubles to outwork the Celtics on both ends. In Game 2, Jayson Tatum was held to 13 points, half of his average and the Celtics shot .362 from the floor compared to New York’s .430. Boston threw up 40 threes and hit 10 while the Knicks went 9-of-31. Coach Tom Thibodeau, who was once a Celtics associate head coach and a San Antonio assistant under Gregg Popovich, has pushed Boston to the brink with a hard-knocks approach that negates the Celtics’ finesse style.
Records show that only 7.3 percent of teams that go down 0-2 in the NBA playoffs went on to survive and 6.8 percent in a conference semifinal series. Cleveland is in the same predicament as Boston with the Indiana Pacers up, 2-0, in the other Eastern Conference semifinal pairing. The Cavs and Celtics were 1-2 in the Eastern regular season standings with both posting over 60 wins while New York and Indiana were 3-4. Are the Celtics and Cavs doomed? It’s too soon to count them out considering their losses were unconvincing. Six different teams took turns winning the NBA title since Toronto started the trend in 2019 and this unpredictable season might crown a seventh.
