NBA Playoffs 2011: If NY Knicks Win Game 3, Upset of Boston Celtics Is Imminent

After falling behind in the series 2-0 on Tuesday night, the Knicks and their fans should be worried, right?

The Boston Celtics, bonafide championship contenders, are not about to let the inexperienced New York come back from a two games to none deficit, are they?

They may not have a choice.

Although there are no moral victories in the playoffs, the competitive competency that the Knicks have exemplified against Boston in their two losses must be taken under consideration.

In Game 1, the Knicks overcame a fourth quarter injury to Chauncey Billups and managed to obtain the lead with 21 seconds left. Unfortunately for New York, Ray Allen hit a game winning three-pointer and Carmelo Anthony's attempt at redemption fell short.

The Knicks found themselves in an even messier situation in Game 2, with not only Billups being out for the entire game, but having to play more than half of it without Amar'e Stoudemire, who left the game at the end of the first half with back spasms.

Somehow though, Anthony and the "other guys" kept the game within reach of victory. New York actually took a 93-92 lead with 19 seconds to go. Once again though, Boston prevailed in the final seconds when Kevin Garnett hit a jump hook with 13 seconds left to give the Celtics the lead for good.

Overall, the Knicks have played phenomenal against the higher seeded Boston, they have just yet to push themselves past that plateau.

However, this can all change on Friday night when the Celtics take a trip to the Garden.

Madison Square Garden has not hosted playoff basketball in nearly a decade and this organization is hungry for a postseason victory, making Game 3 even more crucial to New York than most people realize.

If the Knicks take Game 3, they are poised for a series upset.

Yes, I said it.

The Knicks are not prepared to lie down and let Boston runaway with this series. All the critics and analysts who are hypothesizing a Celtics’ series sweep are misguided.

Anthony and company refused to let Boston walk away with either game while on the Celtics home court, so you better believe New York is going to come out with the same level of fierce motivation, and then some, on their floor.

We can expect to see a similar game Friday night as we have seen in the first two. It is going to be close. It is going to be a battle. 

The only difference is that the stage is now set for the Knicks to finally prevail.

With the support of the home crowd and the knowledge that even their backups are more than capable of competing against Boston’s “Big Four,” this Knicks team is anything but resigned, rather they are resilient.

New York may or may not have Billups, but all signs point to Stoudemire returning. And then there is still Anthony, who on Tuesday night, put many of those who were skeptical regarding the trade, including myself, in their place.

This Knicks team is a good team. They may have areas where they need to improve, but the positives outweigh the negatives at this point. These Knicks cannot be intimidated and, as a result, are not discouraged by Boston’s two game lead.

All New York lacks right now is confidence down the stretch. Lack of confidence is what has plagued them in the final seconds of the first two games. But if the Knicks can find a way to take Game 3, self-confidence will present itself.

And once New York obtains confidence in crunch time, it will be lights out.  

Many may believe that being down 2-1 is nothing to celebrate and it isn’t, but it will send a message to Boston. 

Even though Game 1 and 2 have been close, the Celtics are in a comfort zone. New York has not beaten them in six chances this season and Boston is confident they will always be able to pull it out in the end.

A Knicks win in Game 3 would prove otherwise. A win shows the Celtics that the Knicks don’t just have the potential to beat them, but they know how to beat them.

It would show Boston that New York is not a stepping stone into the next round, but a roadblock to it.

Yes, if New York takes Game 3, the Knicks will go on to win the series. And while it may sound premature to make such a prediction and many will deem it a wash, the real mistake would be not believing in these Knicks.

This team is not playing over their heads. They are not a playoff facade. 

They are the real deal.

Friday’s game can determine the series. It can put the Knicks in a 3-0 hole or it can be the beginning of the end for Boston.  

New York has proved that they can compete with the Celtics; they have proved they have the potential to defeat them.

Come Friday night though, it’s time for the Knicks to prove they are a better team.