2011 NBA Playoffs: Celtics Stun Anthony and Knicks, Grading Each Team in Game 3
The series would move to New York, but the momentum stayed put.
After a back-and-forth game through one half, the Boston Celtics would pull away from the New York Knicks in the second half of Game 3, taking a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with a 113-96 victory.
Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo and the Celtics brought their A-game with them offensively Friday night. Pierce finished with 38 points, Allen netted 32 and Rondo scored 15 in the win.
Pierce scored17 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the first half. Rondo would chip in eight assists, dishing seven of them in the second quarter alone.
The Knicks were about as rusty as a team can get in the first half, starting the game on 2-of-10 shooting and lacking effort on the defensive end. The Knicks would allow 52 first-half points.
After New York pulled to within six points to start the third quarter, the Celtics would pull away on the backs of Allen and Pierce. The two of them would score a combined 40 points in the second half, capitalizing on the Knicks' undisciplined defensive play in the final two quarters.
Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire seemed to lack a rhythm, failing to deliver for the Knicks on either end in Game 3.
With the Celtics feeling it offensively and the Knicks' unwillingness to play defense, the Celtics would walk away with the win with more ease than in either of the first two games in the series.
Join B/R and myself in grading each team, analyzing each player's performance and each coach's success in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden.
Toney Douglas: B
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Toney Douglas had a much improved performance in Game 3, after playing a subpar basketball in the Game 2 loss in Boston.
In Game 2, Douglas went 5-of-16 from the field and failed to find his groove on offense. Friday night he was a positive for New York, scoring 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting, while hitting three shots from distance in the game.
Plenty of baskets for Douglas came when the Knicks were down a fair amount of points, but to his credit, he hit those shots. Douglas also managed to chip in a tough defensive game, playing solid perimeter defense.
Rajon Rondo: A-
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Rajon Rondo came up big for the Celtics in Game 3, establishing the pace from the beginning.
His aggressive play on both ends helped spark significant runs for the Celtics, as Rondo would finish with a triple-double in the contest. The monster stat line read 15 points, 20 assists and 11 rebounds.
The mark of 20 assists is the most by any Celtic player in NBA playoff history. His 19-assist game last postseason tied Bob Cousy's mark for the most assists by a Celtics player in a game.
His 5-of-13 shooting performance and four turnovers knock him down to an A-, but Rondo had arguably the best game of any Celtics player.
Landry Fields: D+
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Knicks guard Landry Fields seemed to have lost a step in the first two games of play in Boston. Game 3 was no different.
In 22 minutes of action, Fields shot 1-of-5 from the field, scoring two points while missing all three-pointers and free throws attempted.
To his credit, he didn’t fail completely in that he made hustle plays for the Knicks and was solid on the defensive end. He would add four rebounds and three assists in the loss.
Ray Allen: A
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Ray Ray’s play was as cool as the other side of the pillow.
Ray Allen played as well as he could for the Celtics on Friday night, finding his shot time and time again on offense using his ability to move without the ball.
Allen shot 11-of-18 from the field, scoring 32 points and hitting a game-high eight three-point shots.
On defense, Allen contributed to the combined 5-of-11 shooting effort from the Knicks' starting back court.
Amar’e Stoudemire: C-
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The injured Amar’e Stoudemire had another game to forget, struggling to find a rhythm thoughout the ball game.
Stoudemire’s back seems to still be bothering him, as he would finish the game 2-of-8 from the field, chipping in seven points. In 33 minutes of play, "Stat" had just three rebounds, which he obtained in the first 19 minutes of play.
Because he was injured, Stoudemire gets the benefit of the doubt, grabbing a C- after his Game 3 outing for the Knicks.
Injuries have broken down this Knicks team, who had built a seven-game win-streak in the last weeks of the regular season.
Carmelo Anthony: C
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Carmelo Anthony was anything but the player that posted 42 points and 17 rebounds in Game 2 of the series against the Celtics.
‘Melo played an average first quarter offensively, followed by three quarters of play that simply lacked effort. Anthony shot 25 percent from the field and added five turnovers to the mix. He would finish with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Anthony gets the C for his hustle and effort, but he was effective at times on offense and his 11 boards were still a team high on the night.
Kevin Garnett: B
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Kevin Garnett played a relatively quiet game statistically but still provided much-needed help in the paint after grabbing a team-high 12 rebounds —four on the offensive end.
He demonstrated his ability to extend possessions for the C’s and clean up the glass
Offensively, Garnett would go 4-of-9, scoring nine points in the Game 3 victory in New York.
Ronny Turiaf: F
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When the Knicks needed him most, Turiaf was a non-factor for the New York Knicks in Game 3.
After putting up two solid performances in Games 1 and 2, Turiaf would score five points and grab no rebounds in 10 minutes of play.
In a game where the Celtics would out-rebound the Knicks by 10, his physical presence in the paint was much needed and never established.
Jermaine O’Neal: C
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O’Neal is far from the player he was in his Indiana Pacer days, but the big fellah has been stepping up this postseason. However, his play was less of a factor than in the previous two games.
In 27 minutes of play, O’Neal would post six points, three rebounds and three blocks. Some of the blocks came on Anthony, which made them all the more valuable in not allowing ‘Melo to catch fire.
Aside from the blocks, O’Neal had a mediocre performance Friday night.
Shawne Williams: B+
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Talk about a bench player waiting to shine.
If there was one thing going right for the New York Knicks, it was the efficient, hard play from Shawne Williams from the opening tipoff of Game 3 in MSG.
Williams was red hot all game, scoring a team-high 17 points while shooting 6-of-10 from the field. He hit two three-point shots and grabbed six rebounds. His hustle was much needed. In his 32 minutes, Williams delivered for his Knicks.
When Williams was on the court, the team was plus-13 points—an impressive stat considering that the Celtics would eventually blow out the Knicks.
Facing elimination in Game 4, head coach Mike D’Antoni will likely consider playing Williams hefty minutes yet again. His play was contagious. He might be a key factor in avoiding a first-round sweep.
Paul Pierce: A+
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Pierce was all smiles after his Game 3 performance.
The Truth deserves a pat on the back after beating the Knicks' defense from long-range, mid-range and at the basket.
Eight minutes into in the first quarter, Pierce had 12 points and the Knicks had 11.
Pierce scored a game-high 38 points, netting 21 of them in the second half. In the first half, Pierce had 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting, yet finished the game shooting 14-of-19.
Pierce missed just two shots the entire second half, going 8-of-10 from the floor. Talk about a performance.
Arguably the MVP of the game, Pierce was also a presence on the defensive end, adding three steals to his stat line.
Bill Walker: C+
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Bill who? He missed all 11 shots? Really?
In the Game 2 loss, Bill Walker shot the ball a whopping 11 times and missed each one. In Game 3, Walker made his proper adjustments, scoring nine points and grabbing two steals.
He was also the one Knicks player who hustled on the defensive end and made the tough plays to create transition offense.
Roger Mason: B
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Perhaps Shawne Williams' inspiring brand of basketball Friday night helped Roger Mason Jr. catch on.
In just 16 minutes of play, Mason would post 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including two three-pointers.
Not a bad game from the former Washington Wizard.
Jeff Green: C+
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Next to the word “mediocracy” in the dictionary is the performance of the Celtics' newly acquired Jeff Green.
Green, in his first playoff series with the Celtics, has shown he needs time to adjust. In Game 3, he dropped nine points on 3-of-8 shooting in just 21 minutes. Despite the limited minutes, it still seems that Green is in another world when out on the court.
To his credit, he was effective in the passing lanes and on the defensive end, grabbing four rebounds and putting in a steal and block. Going from starter's minutes with the Thunder to bench minutes with the Celtics has proven to be difficult thus far for the young talent.
Jared Jeffries: B
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Knicks forward Jeffries has emerged this series, proving his label as a soft and ineffective offensive player false.
In Game 3, Jeffries was a man on a mission defensively, holding Garnett to just nine points in the contest while out on the floor.
Knicks fans may consider Jeffries incapable of playing big minutes after his pivotal turnover in the final seconds of Game 2, but the guy can make a positive impact when he’s on the floor. His defense is arguably the best of any other forward on the Knicks, including Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire.
Glen Davis: D+
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What a great picture.
Big Baby fit his nickname well Friday night, scoring just four points and grabbing four boards in 20 minutes of play.
Although Davis played limited minutes, he was ineffective on the floor, playing soft and closer to the three-point line. Normally a player who likes to impose his will on the inside, Davis settled for mid-range jumpers and didn’t help clean up the glass.
Celtics fans have seen better days from Davis.
Delonte West: D
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It was as if Delonte West had missed a flight and forgot to show up for the game.
Yeah, he was that tough to watch.
In his limited 14 minutes of play, West missed two shots, was held scoreless and had one assist. Given his few minutes of play, he didn’t fail completely, but at the end of the day, there’s a reason West didn’t get his share of minutes.
A historic performance from Rajon Rondo couldn’t have helped his cause.
Von Wafer, Nenad Krstic and Troy Murphy: N/A
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Garbage time doesn’t count.
Von Wafer and Troy Murphy each played just three minutes in the ball game, finishing the game for the starters in the last several minutes of the contest.
Nenad Krstic led the way with eight minutes, grabbing a board and turning it over twice.
They each get the grade of N/A, as they were absolute non-factors in their minutes played and impact in the ball game.
Celtics Bench: D-
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The bench has played so poorly for Boston, even Doc Rivers called them out during an interview with ESPN during the contest.
In Game 2, the starting five would score 82 of the team's 96 points in the game. In the contest, the bench would allow an average nine points more than they scored according to ESPN.
Game 3 was no different for the Celtics. If anything, it was harder to watch. The starters would score 100 of the 113 points in the victory, leaving just 13 points to the bench.
Defensively, the bench let up double-digit leads in the first half like it was their job, averaging just over 14 points more than they scored when on the floor.
Mike D’Antoni: C+
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Poor Mike.
Despite losing by 17 points, Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni coached his team to the end, making it clear to his young ball club that there was a lack of effort throughout.
In a huddle taped by ESPN during the contest, D’Antoni called out his team in the third quarter, explaining that guys have to make an effort and play hard.
When your superstars shoot 25 percent and don’t put in the effort on the defensive end, it’s out of the coach’s hands. D’Antoni did his part, but he is not the one to blame for the Game 3 letdown.
Doc Rivers: A-
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Whether you consider the inbound play to Kevin Garnett from Rajon Rondo in Game 1 down the stretch or the isolation post-play for Garnett to lift the Celtics to victory in Game 2, Rivers knows how to coach a ball game.
As in each game of the series, head coach Doc Rivers has coached an effective game plan for the Boston Celtics.
In Game 3, Rivers orchestrated an offense that got Pierce and Allen shots early and often. The strategy also helped open up Rondo’s game, allowing him to shine in his ability to find open teammates and get the offense going with his ability to make the extra pass.
He gets the A- because talent is not something you can teach. Allen, Pierce and Rondo put on offensive clinics, which cannot solely be credited to Rivers coaching. Holding a double-digit lead makes life easy for the everyday head coach.
Knicks Bench: A-
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Ironically, in a must-win game for the New York Knicks, the bench rose to the occasion Friday night.
To put the Knicks' bench production into perspective, three of the four bench players for the Knicks scored more points than they allowed. This mark becomes all the more impressive since the Knicks trailed the entire ball game.
Going into Game 4, the Knicks bench will be key in attempting to win one of two games in New York. If Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire come to play, the bench could be the difference between a win and a loss in Game 4 for the Knicks.
Celtics Big Four: A
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After improving each season, Rajon Rondo deserves credit for being one of the four talents on the Boston Celtics who helps the engine run.
Following a Game 2, 30-point performance, Rondo would record a triple-double in Game 3 with a Celtics playoff record 20 assists. His stat line included 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Allen and Pierce were ruthless from the field, hitting a combined 25-of-37 shots, while netting 14-of-19 three-pointers and recording five takeaways. Allen finished with 32 points while Pierce would put in 38.
The two played lights out defense in the process, holding Anthony and the starting back court of the Knicks to a sluggish offensive performance.
Knicks Big Three (Two): D
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Disregarding the little offensive production of Carmelo Anthony, the stars for the Knicks were rusty in Game 3.
With Billups still out with a strained knee, Anthony and Stoudemire were asked to answer the call and failed to do so. The two combined for 22 points on 6-of-24 shooting.
Watching the stars on the defensive end was just as difficult to watch, as the two had the worst plus/minus ratio of any players on the team. The Knicks would give up a jaw-dropping 34 points—more than they scored when Stoudemire was in the ball game—and 27 while Anthony was on the floor.
With Chauncey Billups likely to sit out Game 4 in New York, ‘Melo and Stoudemire have something to prove after their uncharacteristic Game 3 performances.
