NBA Playoffs 2011: Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks Game 2 by the Numbers
Boston fended off the depleted but pesky New York Knicks 96-93 on Tuesday night, seizing a 2-0 series lead before heading back to New York for Friday's Game 3.
After losing Chauncey Billups to a strained left knee in Game 1, the Knicks cringed as perennial All-Star Amar'e Stoudemire exited the game in the second quarter with back spasms. Without two of its top three players, New York's balanced offensive attack transformed into Carmelo and the Melo-ettes. And the frontman didn't disappoint.
But despite a historic night from Anthony, the Celtics were eventually able to take advantage of the short-handed Knicks in a game that was much closer than it should have been.
Here are the telling numbers from Game 2.
Boston Celtics: 24
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Boston point guard Rajon Rondo ran a one-man layup drill against the Knicks, scoring 24 of his 30 points within four feet of the basket.
Rondo took charge early in the game, relentlessly driving to the hoop, scoring efficiently and making Toney Douglas look like a child.
Given Rondo's atrocious outside shooting, the Knicks game plan was to play several feet off of him and prevent him from penetrating into the paint. New York failed mightily in this approach, as Rondo continuously dissected the interior Knicks defense.
Rondo made just one perimeter jumper (late in the fourth quarter) but dominated throughout with his speed and ability to finish at the rim.
Boston Celtics: Plus-11.4 Percent
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The Celtics shot 47 percent from the field while holding New York to 35.6 percent, accounting for an 11.4 percent disparity in favor of Boston.
The Celtics created high-percentage shots all night long, whether they came in the form of wide-open Ray Allen threes, Kevin Garnett post-ups or Rondo's aforementioned assaults on the rim.
Meanwhile, New York was content with launching outside shots despite its inability to make them.
Boston's stingy defense deserves a great deal of credit for forcing the Knicks into tough perimeter jump shots, but on several critical possessions, Knicks players hoisted ill-advised three-pointers with delusional confidence.
Knicks reserves Roger Mason and Bill Walker combined to shoot a disgusting 1-of-8 from behind the three-point line. And yet, with the game on the line, did Mason decide it would be a good idea to fire up a contested three with plenty of time still on the shot clock?
Yes. Of course he did.
New York Knicks: 33
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Due to the injuries of Stoudemire and Billups, New York had to count on its bench to play major minutes. This meant Bill Walker was on the court for (gasp!) 33 minutes. That's about 25 too many. Zero would be ideal.
Walker was incredibly unproductive during his increased minutes, missing all 11 of his field goals (0-of-5 on threes) and playing abysmal defense.
However, he somehow managed to pull down eight rebounds, contributing to New York's massacre of Boston on the glass. The Knicks out-rebounded the Celtics 53-37, including 20 on the offensive end.
New York's domination on the boards allowed the Knicks to hang around despite dishing out starters' minutes to reserves like the trigger-happy Walker.
New York Knicks: 42/17/6
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After an unimpressive Game 1, Carmelo Anthony produced a stat line worthy of the superstar-sized ego that he brought to New York.
Anthony dropped 42 points, 17 rebounds and six assists, becoming the only player in the last 20 years to post those numbers. With New York's second- and third-leading scorers sidelined, 'Melo increased his activity on the glass and unleashed his full arsenal of offensive moves.
Whether he was posting up the smaller Rondo or sticking a three right in Pierce's mug, Anthony proved yet again that he is one of the most unstoppable one-on-one scorers in the game.
However, Boston did a great job of forcing the ball out of Anthony's hands late in the fourth quarter. Pierce shadowed him throughout, and Glen Davis rushed to double-team him whenever he caught the ball.
With a chance to take the lead with less than 10 seconds left, Carmelo was forced to pass the ball to Jared Jeffries, who promptly—and fittingly—turned it over.
Boston Celtics: 100 Percent
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Ray Allen—the NBA's unquestioned three-point king—put on another superb shooting performance in Game 2, knocking down every single one of his shots from behind the arc.
Allen has hit 7-of-9 threes in this year's playoffs, including the game-winning dagger on Sunday and four more picture-perfect buckets on Tuesday.
Basically, he's doing what Ray Allen does.
His meticulously crafted shooting stroke has made him one of Boston's deadliest assets and he has repeatedly found himself open against New York. If the Knicks cannot manage to challenge his outside shot, Allen will continue to eviscerate them from distance.
The New York Knicks, particularly Anthony, competed valiantly despite the absence of two of their best players, but in the end, their rebounding advantage and Carmelo's heroics were just not enough. Boston created higher-percentage shots, and Rondo and Allen wreaked havoc with their respective specialties.
As the series shifts back to New York, the Knicks hopes rest on the ailing bodies of Chauncey Billups and Amar'e Stoudemire. If they are able to play, New York will certainly be a force to be reckoned with. But if they have to play the likes of Bill Walker for 33 more excruciating minutes? No chance.
