2011 NBA Playoffs: Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks, Game 3 Live Blog

Ah, subplots.

As expected, the most anticipated series of the first round has received the preferential prime-time billing throughout and Friday's (7 p.m. ET, ESPN) Game 3 at Madison Square Garden may be the biggest of them all.

After the Knicks lost two of their best players in consecutive games, they now find themselves down 2-0 heading back home. With the two heartbreaking losses that featured a go-ahead three-pointer from Ray Allen (coupled with an inept three-pointer by Carmelo Anthony) and one of the best performance in Knicks' history, the Knicks have found reason to be optimistic.

The Boston Globe has announced Chauncey Billups to be officially out for tonight's game while, despite going through today's shootaround, Amar'e Stoudemire remains a game-time decision.

The Knicks will likely continue to run a more upbeat style of offense with Toney Douglas manning the point again.

Anthony seemed to succeed with the weight on his shoulders in a Game 2 that played out a lot like one of those "close, but just not enough" Nuggets' games we became so used to.

At times, Anthony and Stoudemire have looked confused about who should have the ball when—as is customary with two superstars that haven't played together for an extended period of time.

The Celtics are clearly the weaker of the two bench currently and it will be interesting to see when they can turn it around, if ever.

The crowd at MSG will be more than ready to will their team back into this series while the Celtics try to obtain a 3-0 stranglehold.