The Knicks Celtics matchup looms large after what can only be described as a nerve-wracking first-round victory. Let’s not kid ourselves – Jalen Brunson’s clutch 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds left literally saved the Knicks from what would have been an absolute disaster against Detroit. I mean, they were THIS close to a complete meltdown.
Despite advancing, the Knicks showed some seriously alarming weaknesses throughout the Pistons series that have me worried sick. Their bench got absolutely demolished, outscored by a ridiculous 184-69 across six games. That’s not just bad – that’s historically terrible.
Those third quarters? Pure nightmare fuel. The Knicks came out of halftime looking like they don’t even talk. They relied on late-game heroics instead of, you know, actually playing consistently for 48 minutes. KAT scored a measly 10 points in Game 6 and – get this – took ZERO shots in the fourth quarter. I don’t think I’m overreacting when I say these troubling patterns is why the Celtics are grossly favored in betting markets. Boston isn’t some rebuilding Pistons squad – they’re the defending champs for a reason. If the Knicks don’t make immediate adjustments, the Celtics could make it ugly fast, folks.
Late-Game Struggles That Nearly Cost the Series
Each game showed a series of examples of this team’s inconsistency. The pattern of near-disaster emerged in Game 5 when they fell 106-103 at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks’ offense completely stagnated when they needed buckets the most. Their shooting went ice cold down the stretch – we’re talking Antarctic levels of frigid. And don’t get me started on that free throw performance: a pathetic 16-of-27 (59.3%) in a critical home loss.
But Game 6? That was next-level nerve-wracking. After building what should have been a comfortable 11-point cushion early in the fourth, the Knicks just watched it disappear like my confidence in their late-game execution. Detroit unleashed a devastating 20-2 run to grab a 112-105 lead with just 2:35 remaining. At that moment, every Knicks fan was staring into the abyss of a Game 7 nobody wanted.
Those Third Quarter Nightmares
The Knicks’ third-quarter performances were consistently awful. Across the series, New York was outscored by a staggering 33 points (142-109) in third quarters. That’s not just bad – that’s a fundamental problem. The shooting numbers tell the painful story. Detroit shot a solid 49.1% after halftime while the Knicks managed a brick-fest of just 38.2% in third periods. This recurring issue forced New York to play from behind time and again. I’m not sure if in Game 6 it was the layup lines or a complete tactical overhaul, but these troubling patterns absolutely cannot continue against Boston. The defending champions will punish such lapses far more severely than Detroit ever could.
Karl-Anthony Towns’ Inconsistency and Foul Trouble
The Jalen Brunson shot saved Karl-Anthony Towns from another round of criticism. His performance against the Pistons was… volatile. Game 6 was the perfect example of KAT going MIA offensively. The man attempted only 10 shots in an elimination game, ranking fourth on his own team in shot attempts. Fourth! This wasn’t just a one-game blip either – this passive approach became his signature throughout the series. Fans are only getting frustrated because they know fully what he is capable of. When he is aggressive and attacking the basket, the three-pointers will come. When he hangs out on the three-point line for 20 seconds of an offensive possession, he is bailing out the defense.Â
What’s even more mind-boggling is how he vanished after halftime in Game 6. Three points. That’s all he managed in the second half of an elimination game. The 7-footer took a grand total of four shots in the entire second half, with Tobias Harris guarding him most of the time. The reluctance to establish himself in the paint makes absolutely zero sense to me. Despite having a massive size advantage, Towns ranked fourth on his own team in shots attempted within five feet of the rim.Â
The Boston Problem
Now personally, this was alarming against Detroit, but against Boston? It will be catastrophic. The Celtics ranked third in opponent three-point percentage at 34.2% – meaning the Knicks can’t just rely on outside shooting to bail them out. The Celtics are going to target Towns relentlessly in pick-and-roll situations, just like Detroit did but with much better players executing the game plan. If KAT keeps disappearing offensively while simultaneously being a liability on defense, the Knicks might as well start booking their Cancun trips now.
The Bench Problem That Won’t Go Away
Detroit’s bench absolutely demolished New York’s by a mind-boggling 184-69 across the six-game series. We’re talking about a 115-point differential, which is the largest bench scoring gap in any playoff series since 1970. The Knicks reserves couldn’t even crack double-digit points in half the games. Game 3 was particularly painful to watch – a measly seven points on 3-of-15 shooting.
- Knicks bench: 11.5 points per game on 32.1% shooting
- Pistons bench: 30.7 points per game on 46.8% shooting
Thibs is doing that thing again. After Game 1, no bench player saw more than 18 minutes in any contest. That’s not a rotation – that’s a desperate plea for your starters to be superhuman.
Miles McBride went from 16 minutes in Game 1 to a blink-and-you’ll-miss-him 8 minutes in Game 6. And what about Precious Achiuwa? Completely vanished from the rotation.
Why These Issues Spell Trouble Against the Celtics
Oh man, the Celtics present a WHOLE different beast than Detroit. The problems we saw against a young Pistons squad? They’re about to get magnified on national television against these defending champs. Boston’s talent level is not even comparable to Detroit’s. The Celtics’ bench absolutely demolished Orlando’s bench by 27 points per 100 possessions in the first round. The scariest part? Boston’s defensive game plan specifically targets the Knicks’ biggest weaknesses. During the regular season, they went after Brunson and Towns in pick-and-roll situations and that will continue.
Celtics and Knicks in the regular season:
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) May 2, 2025
October 22 - Celtics won 132-109 in Boston
February 8 - Celtics won 131-104 in New York
February 23 - Celtics won 118-105 in Boston
April 8 - Celtics won 119-117 (OT) in New York
Jayson Tatum vs the Knicks this season:
— CelticsMuse (@CelticsMuse) May 2, 2025
— 33.5 PPG
— 7.0 APG
— 6.8 RPG
— 4-0 Record pic.twitter.com/GL76Q1KE1X
Knicks vs Celtics season series recap
If you think I’m being dramatic, just look at what happened during the regular season. Boston didn’t just beat New York- they swept all four games, winning by an average of 21 POINTS. The most alarming thing? The Celtics scored an astronomical 130.2 points per 100 possessions against New York. No other team scored that efficiently against them all season. Not one.
Jayson Tatum averaged 33.5 points on a ridiculous 53.5% shooting and 47.8% from three-point range. The three-point disparity was jaw-dropping – the Celtics made 39 more threes than us across just four games.
Boston’s offense is designed to methodically pick apart defensive weaknesses. They set screens and force switches until they get the matchup they want – usually Brunson or Towns trying to guard someone they have no business guarding. Against weaker defensive teams, their ball movement creates wide-open three-point looks all night long. Against the Knicks specifically, they attempted 53.9% of their shots from beyond the arc. This is all a recipe for disaster.
First Series Matchup Since 2013
The Knicks barely escaped a Game 7 with Detroit by the skin of their teeth. Those persisting issues we saw throughout the series? They’re about to be exploited against Boston. The physical toll on these Knicks starters is straight-up unsustainable. It only showed us that the Knicks are closer to a 6-seed Pistons than a championship caliber Celtics team. The Knicks offense completely stalled whenever Detroit cranked up the defensive pressure. Their half-court offensive was tough to watch. This wasn’t a one-time thing either – it’s happened all season against elite defensive teams. And guess what? Boston is EXACTLY that kind of team.
Playoff basketball magnifies every single weakness. The Knicks’ dependency on Brunson’s heroics bailed them out against Detroit, it all ends here. If New York wants any shot at competing, they have a lot of fixes to make, but only a little time to do such. The series outcome hangs on these changes. Without them? Boston’s advantages in depth, defensive versatility, and firepower are too much to overcome. I’ll give the Knicks this – they showed tremendous heart and resilience against Detroit. Unfortunately, heart alone won’t cut it when the other team has the championship pedigree. They need strategy to match their toughness, and play their best brand of basketball or this series could get ugly quickly.Â
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