The Celtics are set to face the Knicks within the second spherical of the NBA playoffs, and although the Celtics swept the four-game matchup within the common season, Joe Mazzulla instructed reporters that doesn’t essentially put them better off heading into the postseason.
“Each recreation takes on a lifetime of its personal,” Mazzulla stated. “Each collection takes on a lifetime of its personal. Proper now, the collection is 0-0. It’s two good groups on the brink of play.”
Derrick White echoed his coach’s sentiments: “Every thing we did within the common season doesn’t actually imply an entire lot.”
The Celtics head coach made clear that when once more, the playoff collection will come all the way down to the margins.
“You have got to have the ability to defend with out fouling, rebound, care for the ball, execute, be capable of get to totally different stuff defensively, due to their capability to place stress on the rim and get nice pictures,” he stated.
New York’s largest offensive weapons
The Knicks’ offense will probably be a change of tempo from the Celtics’ first-round collection in opposition to Orlando. The Knicks had the fifth-best offensive score through the common season (117.3) whereas the Magic had the Twenty seventh-best score (109.1).
“Their offensive numbers are higher,” Mazzulla stated. “Their capability to alter defenses is nice. They’ve two guys that may rating in any respect three ranges. They obtained function guys that would actually affect the sport.”
The Knicks had 5 gamers common within the double-figures of their six-game first-round playoff collection in opposition to the Detroit Pistons: Jalen Brunson (31.5 factors), Karl Anthony-Cities (19.7 factors), OG Anunoby (17.3 factors), Mikal Bridges (16.2 factors), and Josh Hart (11.8 factors).
“Nice coach, nice depth, nice workforce,” Mazzulla stated. “You see what they’ve been in a position to do over the course of the season, and within the playoffs up to now, with their two guys — but additionally the way in which that the others are in a position to affect the sport.”
Whereas New York was swept by Boston through the season, they nonetheless had the league’s fifth-best document through the common season, ending the 12 months 51-31.
“It’s the playoffs,” White stated. “They’re right here for a motive. They’re actually good workforce, and it’s gonna be a giant problem.”
The problem of limiting Jalen Brunson
Mazzulla acknowledges that limiting Jalen Brunson could possibly be one of many collection’s best challenges. Brunson, who was named the NBA’s Clutch Participant of the Yr, has shouldered the offensive load down for the Knicks down the stretch of video games, exploding for 40 factors within the clinching Recreation 6, plus the game-winner.
Brunson averaged 31.5 factors (on 43.6% taking pictures and 33.3% from three) alongside 8.2 assists and 4 rebounds within the first spherical of the playoffs in opposition to Detroit, and Mazzulla stated that limiting him will probably be a full-team effort.
“You possibly can’t do it with one man, proper?” he stated. “It takes a workforce — takes totally different matchups, takes totally different coverages, however there’s obtained to be a degree of physicality, a degree of self-discipline, a degree of consideration to element on tendencies on the similar time.”
A few of Brunson’s scoring is controllable, Mazzulla stated, however some, the Celtics will simply need to dwell with.
“In the event you add up all of the factors, there are a variety of factors to which you’ll work to be disciplined and work to manage,” he stated. “On the similar time, he’s an ideal participant, and he’s going to make performs.”
Jrue Vacation stays day-to-day with hamstring damage
Mazzulla stated that Jrue Vacation, who has missed the final three video games with a hamstring pressure, stays day-to-day.
So a return for Monday’s Recreation 1 in opposition to the Knicks shouldn’t be out of the query.
.@realbobmanning requested Joe Mazzulla about whether or not Jrue Vacation is on monitor to play Monday:
“Day-to-day. Simply getting higher day by day, doing no matter he can to ensure he places himself in place to return again as quick as he can. He’s working arduous.” pic.twitter.com/UU4VgAa4Ry
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) Might 2, 2025
Within the meantime, Vacation and the remainder of the Celtics are nonetheless utilizing the time to organize for the following spherical, no matter whether or not or not they’re really training.
“There’s all the time methods to get higher, whether or not it’s on the follow court docket, whether or not it’s within the movie room, whether or not it’s on walkthroughs, whether or not it’s getting up and down,” Mazzulla stated. “You simply need to take it, make the most of all of the methods you could possibly study and institute a recreation plan. It’s the playoffs. Nobody’s 100%.”
Because the Celtics put together for the following spherical, the message stays the identical regardless of the altering opponent.
“You continue to need to rebound, you need to care for the basketball,” Mazzulla stated. “You have got to have the ability to defend with out fouling. You must execute. You must set good screens. You must dash in transition. You must get to the corners. You must dash again. You must hold it 5-on-5. You must defend the paint. Should field out. All these particulars are tremendous necessary.”
