NBA Playoffs Rd 1: Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks

[King Taharqa]

(3) Boston Celtics (55-26)

STARTING 5

PG #9 Rajon Rondo

6'1 171 lbs

Kentucky '06

10.6 PPG 11.2 APG 4.4 RPG 2.3 SPG

SG #20 Ray "Jesus Shuttlesworth" Allen

6'5 205 lbs

UCONN '96

16.5 PPG 3.4 RPG 2.7 APG 88.1 FT% 44.4 3PT%

SF #34 Paul "The Truth" Pierce

6'7 235 lbs

Kansas '98

18.9 PPG 5.4 RPG 3.2 APG 37.4 3PT% 86.0 FT%

PF #5 Kevin "The Big Ticket" Garnett

6'11 253 lbs

Faragut Academy HS '95 (Chicago, IL)

14.9 PPG 8.9 RPG 2.4 APG 52.8 FG% 86.2 FT%

C #36 Shaquille O'Neal

7'1 325 lbs

LSU '92

9.2 PPG 4.8 RPG 66.7 FG%

BENCH

PG-Delonte "Spank" West

SG-Von Wafer

SF-Sasha Pavlovic

PF-Glen "Big Baby" Davis

PF-Jeff Green

C-Jermaine O'Neal

C-Nenad Kristic

HEAD COACH

Glenn "Doc" Rivers

[King Taharqa]

(6) New York Knicks (42-38)

STARTING 5

PG #4 Chauncey "Mr.Big Shot" Billups

6'3 202 lbs

Colorado '97

16.9 PPG 5.3 APG 2.6 RPG 90.1 FT% 40.3 3PT%

SG #6 Landry Fields

6'7 210 lbs

Stanford '10

9.7 PPG 6.4 RPG 1.9 APG 49.7 FG% 39.1 3PT%

SF #7 Carmelo Anthony

6'8 230 lbs

Syracuse '03

25.6 PPG 7.3 RPG 2.9 APG 87.0 FT% 43.7 3PT%

PF #1 Amar'e "STAT" Stoudemire

6'10 249 lbs

Cypress Creek HS '02 (Orlando, FL)

25.4 PPG 8.2 RPG 2.6 APG 1.9 BPG 50.3 FG%

C #9 Jared Jeffries

6'11 240 lbs

Indiana '02

1.7 PPG 2.8 RPG

BENCH

PG-Toney Douglas

PG-Anthony Carter

SG-Bill Walker

SF-Derrick Brown

PF-Renaldo Balkman

PF-Shawne Williams

C-Ronnie Turiaf

HEAD COACH

Mike D'Antoni

-----------------------------------

The Knicks dont play defense and try to outscore their opponents. Boston, although Kendrick Perkins-less now and much softer, DOES play defense and wants to keep games in the half court. I see Boston dominating this playoff series and winning in 5 games. New York surely will get a W in the Garden after a 10 year absence from the dance, but wont matchup with the physical play of the Celtics overall.

[HoFBound90]

I beg to differ. Then again I am more than likely the biggest Knicks fan on this board. Its been way to long, I can not wait for the playoffs.

I would rather have had the Heat, but Massholes known as the Celtics have always been a good rivalry.

The Knicks D has been greatly improved in their last 7 games and they are starting to click. I can see this going to 6 or 7 games easily, and also wouldn't be surprised if the Knicks won.

[SOJA]

this ones all on Melo and Amare, if they play well I think the Knicks could pull the upset....that said Boston wins in 6

[C47]

Celts in 7....

[Kakarot]

Knicks in 6

[HeatCheck]

It's gonna come down to Boston's offense. That's what has been struggling a bit lately. People can blame it on them getting old, but I don't buy that. They'll be able to turn it on in the playoffs. Although this will be the most intriguing Eastern first round series. Boston in 6.

And I hate this talk about Perkins. Boston played well without him this year. Yes he is one of, if not, the best post defenders in the game, but Boston has played like a championship caliber team without him this year. poo, Perkins has played more games with the Thunder this year. I'm not saying that trading Perkins was the right thing to do, but rather it can't be used for an excuse because they have done it without him.

[C47]

It's gonna come down to Boston's offense. That's what has been struggling a bit lately. People can blame it on them getting old, but I don't buy that. They'll be able to turn it on in the playoffs. Although this will be the most intriguing Eastern first round series. Boston in 6.

And I hate this talk about Perkins. Boston played well without him this year. Yes he is one of, if not, the best post defenders in the game, but Boston has played like a championship caliber team without him this year. poo, Perkins has played more games with the Thunder this year. I'm not saying that trading Perkins was the right thing to do, but rather it can't be used for an excuse because they have done it without him.

Not having Perkins shouldn't hurt them too much against the Knicks but if they have to play the Bulls he will be sorely missed. Also, if it ends up being L.A. and Boston in the Finals again you can pretty much give Kobe his sixth ring....

[HeatCheck]

Yeah the reasoning behind the trade, in my eyes, was that getting Jeff Green would make it easier to get through the East, because of the versatile big men in the East. There aren't many dominant big men in the East besides Howard. And Boston most likely won't have to play them. I don't see Chicago posing that much of a problem though. The offense is run through Rose and Boozer likes to hang around the paint, not so much down low.

Where it will hurt is vs. the Lakers. But, in my eyes, they thought adding Green would get them through the East.

[HeatCheck]

Good game. NY came out so strong in the first half with Melo tearing it up in the 2nd. (He didn't play the first because of 2 ealry fouls) But he didn't do much after that. STAT played consistently throughout the whole game and was key in keeping the game close.

I think what was key in this game was KG and JO in the 3rd quarter. They brought an energy to the team and you definitely noticed when they weren't on the court.

Pierce really wasn't shooting well but came up big in the 4th. I feel like he had the majority of his points in the 4th.

Should be a good series.

Also, Billups got hurt late in the 4th and I'm unsure if he'll play the next game.

[Swarly]

I hate both teams but holy poo that Pierce flop at the end, followed by the bullshit no call on KG illustrates why I hate Boston sports teams more than any other cities teams.

NYK deserved to lose for playing such a sloppy 2nd half, but Boston didn't deserve to win that with their cheap antics and help from the refs.

[HeatCheck]

I thought the refs were bad on both sides though.

[Swarly]

I thought the refs were bad on both sides though.

they were, but at the end they essentially gift wrapped the game for the Celtics.

and the Pierce flop before it was equally terrible. Ray Allen shouldn't have had the opportunity to take that shot. NBA once again shows why they have the worst officiating in professional(and college) sports.

[SOJA]

they were, but at the end they essentially gift wrapped the game for the Celtics.

and the Pierce flop before it was equally terrible. Ray Allen shouldn't have had the opportunity to take that shot. NBA once again shows why they have the worst officiating in professional(and college) sports.

this, that was a fuging awful call