NBA Playoffs 2011: Boston Celtics vs NY Knicks Game Four Post-Game Reaction
The Boston Celtics swept away the Knicks on Easter Sunday, burying New York for the second time in a row at Madison Square Garden to close out the teams' Round One matchup.
What initially looked like a series after two close contests in Boston devolved into essentially a two-game blowout, leaving the finished Knicks licking their figurative and literal wounds (back, knee, ego), and the resurrected Celtics looking ahead to Round Two.
After some early back and forth in Game Four, the Celtics began to pull away midway through the first quarter. They piled on a 23-point lead at one point, but the Knicks came back in the third.
Led by a stellar Anthony Carter, who played some ferocious defense and clutch offense in a torrid 23 minutes, New York cut the lead to as few as four in the final period.
But Doc Rivers and the Gang - Garnett, Pierce, Rondo, Allen, and O'Neal (Jermaine, that is) - held on and batted back the surging Knicks to come away with the win and the series.
For the Knicks, it's never too early to look at what went wrong, and where they can improve.
For the Celtics, it's time to savor their Round One victory and then prepare for, most likely, the Miami Heat - a team they can beat.
What's Next for the Boston Celtics?
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A quick celebration in the locker room followed by a flight back home.
Then, probably after a day off, the Boston Celtics will begin preparing for the opening game of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The schedule and opponent are unset yet, but it will be the winner of the Miami Heat - Philadelphia 76ers match up. Miami is ahead in that series 3-1 and Game Five is not scheduled until Wednesday, April 27, which means the earliest the Celtics will have to play (if Miami takes the next game) is possibly the following Saturday.
According to NBA.com, "If first-round series are completed in six games or less, the conference semifinals may move up to begin on either Saturday, April 30 or Sunday, May 1." If not, Round Two doesn't start until next week.
Shaquille O'Neal anyone?
While he sat out the series against the Knicks, he still travelled with the team and moved around a bit. Now, he's got a whole week with nothing to do but rest and tend his calf. He could be back for Round Two.
And if he isn't, the Celtics could survive to Round Three anyway with Jermaine O'Neal and a bench that at some point is going to have to play more minutes. The aged Celtics will either tire down the stretch or have nothing left in the tank for what will be, as usual, a very physically demanding Finals, if they don't get more production from their bench.
That being said, the starters have come to play, every day. They even take turns, having a different scoring leader in each of the four games against New York (One: Ray Allen, 24; Two: Rondo, 30; Three: Pierce, 38; and Four: Garnett, 26).
What's Next for the New York Knicks?
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Despite the sweep, the Knicks do have a lot to build on.
They played tight for 2.5 of the four games against a Celtics squad that may be the only team that can take on the Chicago Bulls right now.
The Knicks were not expected to go far and not expected to beat the Celtics. Admittedly, they were expected to win a game or two.
The fought without key pieces and hung tough with five-man lineups like Anthony, Williams, Carter, Jeffries and Walker. They almost came away with a win or two with Toney Douglas starting.
They played, perhaps, their best defense of the year in this series.
Both Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, given the circumstances, have proven they can take over a game.
It's not enough to compete though. Say it again: Two superstars are not enough to win it all, or even the Eastern Conference. The Knicks need more.
The offseason looks to be active, starting with the front office.
The first step will be to make a final decision (one that should have been made already) on Donnie Walsh. Will he be back? Walsh is on record as saying he wants to come back and finish the job he started.
Here's ABC's Jeff Van Gundy's opinion following Game Four: "Are you kidding me? That's a question whether he should be brought back? The guy's done a fabulous job. He got them out of salary cap oblivion. In the process got them two stars and got them more money under the cap at the end of this year. Like, what else would anybody else what him to do?"
I could not agree more. Here's my opinion, from earlier in the season: 10 Reasons the Knicks Would Be Foolish to Let Donnie Walsh Walk.
What about Mike D'Antoni? He'll be back. Speculation on this point, at this point, is a waste of time. Loyal Dolan will keep D'Antoni. He took them to the playoffs for the first time in seven years, gave Boston a run in Boston, and the Knicks filled the seats at home like they haven't done in years.
Let's revisit the coach question next season.
As for the players, the first question that needs to be addressed is...
What Will the Knicks Do with Chauncey Billups?
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Fourteen million dollars is a lot of money to be throwing at someone the Knicks are no longer sure can stay healthy enough to make it through the playoffs. Chauncey Billups is an expensive risk.
And he's too expensive to not have a big starter role. If he were cheaper, he might just be the perfect bench player / spot starter for New York.
Unless the Knicks feel comfortable about Billups' durability, they will likely cut him loose.
What started out with such promise - overcoming the "throw-in" commentary with some sizzling play - ended with a fizzle, as Billups watched the Celtics fry the Knicks bacon for three straight from the sidelines.
To be honest, I thought I would see a little more involvement from the injured Billups.
To be sure, there were times Billups actively engaged in game-time conversation with Carmelo Anthony, for example, but these moments seemed rare. Where was Chauncey coaching Toney Douglas and swatting Landry Fields on the ass? Didn't happen.
Unfortunately the 2011 point guard free agent market is not a very good one. It's 2012's hills that hold free agent gold. This may be one reason Billups survives one more year in New York.
If that's the case, Billups needs to take on more of a veteran teacher role, helping the Knicks' young guards refine their abilities and learn the intricacies of the professional game - as well as continue his at times impressive play.
If that's not the case, the Knicks will look to Toney Douglas and Landry Fields to pick it up, and take their pick of these free agents.
Here's another, must-read take on the Billups situation from Bleacher Report's Rick Weiner: Should Chauncey Billups return next season?
Billups is not the only injury concern the Knicks have, either...
What Happened to Amar'e Stoudemire?
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Did somebody get that license plate number?
Forget about microfracture surgery KO'ing STAT. It's ethereal back pain the Knicks' trainers will need to study up on this summer.
Start with some psychology books.
Amar'e Stoudemire let down Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks, a little. He's been getting a free pass, maybe deservedly, for putting the Knicks back on the map and taking New York by storm, but he has to get out there in Game Two or most of Game Three.
There, I said it.
A Willis Reed moment was not to be.
It's not meant in a mean way. I am certain Stoudemire was in some serious pain. But if there is no medical diagnosis, he has to play through it.
I'll eat my words if doctors come up with something, but until then fans are left kind of wondering, "What the hell happened?"
Was it the pressure? That's so hard to believe. Amar'e has handled it all year, and in one of the most unforgiving sports cities with complete ease and confidence. He's been to postseason six times, including this year, and his playoff numbers are in line with his regular season play.
Probably, Amar'e himself is unaware what happened. The mind is a very powerful thing. And the back? A perplexing region for even seasoned doctors.
The Knicks should find it in their best interest to not leave a stone unturned when searching for the solution to Stoudemire's suddenly crippling back pain - from traditional to more progressive treatments such as acupuncture.
There is some good news: After a bad first half that saw Amar'e go 1 for 10 (he played better than that though) in Game Four, he picked it up and finished strong, looking like the Stoudemire of old.
The Knicks have more questions than that, but first let's check back with the winners of this series and ask...
Can the Boston Celtics Make It to the Finals?
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Yes. Their road will be Miami, then Chicago.
They can win a best of seven against either of these teams.
That being said, the Chicago Bulls remain the favorite to clinch the Eastern Conference. And, it would be dangerous to look past the Miami Heat, who, if they can finally figure out who is going to take that last shot, will not be pushovers.
As with Round One, the Celtics will not be concerned about size. They match up well with either the Heat or the 76ers without Shaquille O'Neal, and are still bigger.
The Celtics took Miami 3-1 this year in the season series, losing an odd game in an odd season-ending April for Boston where they went 4-4.
As for Chicago, that series was a much more even 2-2.
But Boston can still beat the Bulls in seven, thanks to experience, and this guy...
Doc Rivers: Best Coach in the Eastern Conference?
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Did someone say Stan Van Gundy? Prove it.
Erik Spoelstra? Ha.
Tom Thibodeau? Whoa. Slow down. It's only been one season.
Mike D'Antoni? How about a little defense?
Doug Collins? He's got some skills.
Larry Drew? Uh.
Doc Rivers coached an outstanding Round One. The final minutes of both Game One and Game Two showed it. The entirety of Games Three and Four hammered it home.
Who expected THAT in Game Three.
Rivers had the Celtics over-prepared and it showed.
Before the series, NBA followers were asking themselves, "What's wrong with the Celtics?" as Boston mailed it in, in a poor April. Now, they ask, "Will the Heat or Bulls be able to match up with the experience, the coaching and icy demeanor of the Boston Celtics?"
At times, it looked like Boston sleepwalked through parts of Round One, hitting shots, keeping it close or distancing themselves when necessary. They switched on auto-pilot every now and then.
I've never seen a drier player hit threes on the fly like Ray Allen did all series.
And that defense was pretty good too, holding a depleted, three-point slinging Knicks' team to under 100 all four times and under 90 twice.
What will make Doc Rivers and the Boston Celtics sweat? Nothing.
Count that as a critical edge.
It also helps to have a floor general like...
Rajon Rondo: Key Player for the Boston Celtics in Round One? or Ray Allen? Or..?
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It might be Rajon Rondo, but Ray Allen's pretty close. Rondo is 24/7. Allen, 365.
Rajon Rondo took over the scoring straight from the beginning of Game One, while the Knicks' defense focused on Boston's Big Three.
Stop the Big Three, and Ragin' Rondo goes wild on you, like the Tasmanian Devil.
He scores. He takes it to the hoop. He shoots jumpers. He assists. He hits from long-range. He rebounds. He defends. He steals. He takes over when he needs to. He occasionally thwarts Bugs Bunny.
He really hits those shots at just the right time, just when the Celtics need it to keep ahead or catch up. He hurts you. He stabs you in the heart.
He gets triple-doubles.
The same holds true for Garnett and Pierce.
The same does not hold true for Jermaine O'Neal, but did he have a series or what? One can argue he was the key player, filling in with some superb role play including 10 blocks and 16 rebounds (6 in the clincher).
And how about Ray Allen? Over 60% from the floor in Round One? About 70% from behind the arc?
He puts the final nail in your Game One coffin and then some. Cool as an embalmer (embalmee?) that guy.
Speaking of embalming...
Jared Jeffries, Bill Walker: What Will Knicks Do with Dead Weight?
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Terrible.
That's how Jared Jeffries and Bill Walker played.
Too bad Anthony Carter wasn't out there earlier in the series and more often.
Jared Jeffries blew it in Game Two from under the basket. He made the same play later in the series at a less critical time.
Jeffries did have some nice showings though, scoring in double figures in Games Two and Three and working the boards effectively. But the mental lapses, immature play and lack of a power game make Jeffries a playoff liability.
Maybe it could happen for Jeffries with some time and every now and then there's a flash of pretty-goodness like when he drove for that smooth layup in Game Three. The thing is, he's already a borderline, if not outright, veteran with nine seasons in the books. He looks, at times, like a rookie out there.
Bill Walker had some bright moments, but if you were just paying attention to the headband and shot selection, you might think for a second you were watching Carmelo Anthony.
Only difference was, the shots never sank. Walker had the poorest three point shot selections at the poorest times of any Knick in the critical Game Two, downright chucking it from three-point land with plenty of seconds on the shot clock often, and going 0-5 from downtown.
The Knicks might look into parting ways with these two.
Conclusion: Boston Celtics Look to Go Far, New York Knicks Look to Next Year
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The Round One matchup between the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks was more exciting than the final results indicated.
The Knicks could have won either or both of Games One and Two. They almost came back in Game Four.
But the outcome of this series was written before the first tip-off. The Celtics were going to win and you knew that. Once Billups went down, and Stoudemire joined him, it was just a question of when.
Now the Celtics will calmly prepare for the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The Knicks, on the other hand, will look ahead to a promising 2011-12 season, a year that hopefully will show a more improved team, maybe even one that will be able to rewrite a little history in next year's postseason.
Until then, onward with the Boston Celtics, first team to advance, and these exciting NBA playoffs.
