NBA Playoffs 2011: Why the Boston Celtics Will Crash the Knicks' Return to MSG

The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks played two very entertaining games in Beantown.

The Celtics emerged victorious in the first two, and have a 2-0 lead heading to Madison Square Garden. Game 3, which will be the first playoff game in MSG in seven years, will be very different from the first two.

How so?

The Celtics will run away early.

Amar'e Stoudemire will likely play, but Chauncey Billups is doubtful.

With no Billups in Game 2, Rajon Rondo went off for 30 points and seven assists, meeting little defensive resistance. Toney Douglas proved to be incapable of guarding the All-Star point guard, and the same should be expected in Game 3.

Furthermore, if the Knicks try to devise a gameplan that prevents Rondo from scoring, he will get his teammates involved. In the regular season, he averaged slightly less than 17 assists per game against the Knicks. With Ray Allen and Paul Pierce on the perimeter, Mike D'Antoni's squad will have to pick its poison.

On the defensive end, it is clear that the Knicks will struggle. On offense, however, they have been somewhat of a mystery.

In Game 1, Stoudemire paced New York with 28 points on 12-of-18 shooting. Carmelo Anthony, however, shot a dismal 5-of-18 en route to a forced 15-point performance.

Stoudemire played in the first half of Game 2, shooting 2-of-9 from the floor for a mere four points. The second half became the Carmelo Show, as Anthony finished with 42 points on 14-of-30 shooting.

Both of the games finished in the same manner: A Knicks' loss.

Although the sample size is small, it is clear that "STAT and 'Melo" can't play effectively together against the Celtics. And even if one of the duo is having a good game, Boston has proven that it can still beat the Knicks.

Amar'e won't be 100 percent healthy, so the Celtics will be able to focus defensive attention on Carmelo. The two stars will be held in check, and quite honestly, New York's role players just aren't good enough to win.

Boston will be able to limit Stoudemire and Anthony, and its offense will have its way against the soft defense of the Knicks. Game 3 will be a blowout, and fans at Madison Square Garden will have to wait another game to see a playoff victory for the home team in the Big Apple.