There will likely be many variations between the Celtics’ first and second spherical collection in opposition to the Magic and Knicks. The video games will flip from rock fights to shootouts, shift from close to nightly scuffles towards few tensions and journey between the 2 cities will likely be diminished.
That final issue will develop into probably the most fascinating. The 2 most rambunctious bases within the league alongside Lakers followers will create a singular environment beginning on Monday. Celtics’ followers didn’t let distance cease them from invading opposing arenas all yr. That’ll show harder at Madison Sq. Backyard. Knicks’ followers will attempt to make the journey to Boston. Can the Celtics’ followers stave them off?
It’s much less clear if the basketball will meet the second. Boston swept the Knicks, 4-0, within the common season, and whereas the Celtics tried to downplay that in previewing how difficult New York will likely be — few C’s weaknesses present.
“I like enjoying there on the highway,” former Knick Kristaps Porziņģis mentioned on Saturday. “My first couple video games had been fairly loopy there, getting booed and stuff. However I believe now, time has handed and it’s not as current anymore, and altered a few groups already additionally.”
“You’re making it look like we’re gonna get caught off guard like a deer,” he continued, smiling. “It comes with expertise. I can ask the identical factor. They’re gonna have to come back right here to Boston, and expertise this. Possibly ask them this query … in fact, it’s gonna be an enormous stage … it’s gonna be enjoyable.”
The Celtics’ earlier collection will likely be robust to beat. They trailed at halftime in Recreation 1. Tensions flared in the beginning of Recreation 2. Al Horford and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope dealing with off earlier than Kristaps Porziņģis’ comeback from the gash in his brow with bloodstains on the again of his head and an enormous bandage introduced again the fan in me.
The Magic received Recreation 3. Porziņģis and Jayson Tatum delivered Recreation 4 in opposition to heavy resistance. No group over the previous two seasons defended the Celtics higher — taking away their threes, knocking Boston round and defending straight-up — a tall activity that they met with fervor.
“They’re a extremely good group,” Pritchard informed CLNS Media after the collection. “Very bodily. It was a bodily problem … they’re in all probability the most effective group, defensively, we’ve seen at guarding the ball.”
A number of Celtics, together with Porziņģis, sounded completely happy to simply get out of that collection. It’s straightforward to know why. Jaylen Brown dislocated his left index finger when Cole Anthony fouled him exhausting in Recreation 3, main Brown to virtually drop his gloves post-game. Horford challenged Wendell Carter Jr. after his exhausting foul on Derrick White two nights later, and even Tatum and Jamahl Mosley acquired into it throughout the skirmish. Later, Tatum whispered one thing to Caldwell-Pope, who shoved him.
The collection introduced some refreshing nastiness and edge out of Tatum, who shook off his wrist harm to common 36 factors by way of the ultimate three video games of the collection. He drove downhill repeatedly, reached the free throw line 10.3 instances per recreation and hit 37-of-41. Earlier than the collection, he sidestepped the Paolo Banchero friendship narrative and mentioned it wouldn’t change their dynamic within the collection.
“He’s attempting to guide his group in a playoff collection and determine methods to win, and I’m attempting to do the identical factor,” Tatum mentioned. “Simply having an understanding of ‘no associates on the market.’ Nothing else issues besides doing all the things I can to assist my group win, and it’s not likely time for anything.”
Watching Banchero attempt to carry his Magic group by hitting tough bounce shot after bounce shot whereas Boston dared him to beat them turned a pleasure for even Celtics followers. Banchero earned their respect by scoring 29.4 factors per recreation and holding many of the collection shut in his minutes. Orlando capsized after his fifth foul within the third quarter in Recreation 5, a devastating second for him that might spark his personal villain arc. The remainder of the beginning lineup obtained showers of boos throughout beginning introductions on that night time. Anthony, Carter, Mosley and Caldwell-Pope had no drawback fouling exhausting. It’s who we’re, they mentioned.
Caldwell-Pope took time after Recreation 1 to deal with his foul with CLNS. Banchero gave three further solutions after his pre-game classes about his expertise dealing with the Celtics, acknowledging the exhausting nature of his function whereas embracing it. Carter smiled on the considered his change with Horford, who he grew up watching in Atlanta and thrived within the collection as a defender and enforcer. So did Mosley over his dust-up with Tatum, who he knew from Staff USA and different camps. Mosley dealt with physicality questions effectively all collection, and thanked reporters for his or her time all through. Frankly, it was a cool group to cowl.
On the sideline, impression gamers Jalen Suggs and Moe Wagner stood by injured, reminders of how far more tough this matchup might show sooner or later. That collection laid the groundwork of a rivalry.
“Shoutout to Orlando,” Brown mentioned. “They did a superb job competing. They’re a superb younger group. Nothing unfavorable to say in any way.”
The subsequent collection received’t look the identical, and regardless of the Boston-New York spectacle and vitality, these groups don’t share a lot historical past. The Magic entered spherical one pushed by a previous Eddie Home slight, enjoying the Celtics robust going again a number of seasons and even Wagner’s launch from Boston.
Tom Thibodeau final coached the Celtics in 2010. Porziņģis left New York six years in the past. Knicks followers may boo him. Celtics followers may borrow the flopper line for Jalen Brunson from Detroit. You by no means know when tensions might rise, and whereas Joe Mazzulla expects a bodily collection, the Knicks don’t foul just like the Magic, committing the fourth-fewest within the NBA. New York’s protection is hardly rugged, and the group that narrowly missed an Jap Convention Finals assembly with the Celtics final spring earlier than accidents struck principally disbanded.
The best reduction will come for the Celtics’ struggling function gamers. Payton Pritchard and the bench turned resigned to having fewer alternatives final spherical whereas Orlando switched. This can be a Jrue Vacation collection if he’s out there on Monday. Tatum thrived. Porziņģis tortured his former group. And nobody sounded extra prepared to show the web page to spherical two.
“Each collection goes to be totally different,” Porziņģis mentioned final spherical. “Some collection, they take away this and we’ve got extra alternatives right here, and that is the sort of collection. It’s not high-scoring video games. It’s simply actual muddy … they usually simply make the sport gradual for us, round 100 factors, to allow them to at all times be proper there. We simply must hold attempting to play our method.”
Put together for extra of Boston’s method in Spherical Two: New York double-teams creating kick-outs; Porziņģis pick-and-pops; Tatum side-stepping round screens to tug up into threes over the drop. The New York backdrop is enjoyable, sunny days will draw everybody outdoors; the dinners will likely be wonderful, the noise within the constructing will likely be actual and the followers will puff their chest when both facet wins. But it surely’s unclear if the Knicks will.
This one might be a sweep.
