Amar'e plays, but Celtics rout Knicks

As Amar'e Stoudemire bolted through the tunnel and the Madison Square Garden crowd exploded -- having waited seven years to savor a home playoff game -- little did anyone know that it would be the fans' biggest thrill of the night.

With Stoudemire playing despite lingering pain from a pulled muscle in his back and Chauncey Billups out again with a knee strain, the Knicks -- with players such as rookie Landry Fields and Toney Douglas looking overwhelmed -- became half a team. They were no match against a Celtics team starting to look whole again, and the Knicks' 113-96 loss in Game 3 of this first-round series Friday night demoralized a packed and raucous Garden as Boston took a 3-0 lead in the series.

"We came out with the intent to win, I'll tell you that," said Stoudemire, who was limited to seven points and 2-for-8 shooting in 32:49. "We knew how important this game was for us. We just couldn't get it done."

No NBA team has ever come back to win a series after losing the first three games. And with Stoudemire hurting and Billups out of the lineup completely, the Knicks' chances of making history are slim.

"It's tough, knowing that Amar'e is not 100 percent and Chauncey is not 100 percent and we're just trying to find our way on the fly right now," said the Knicks' lone remaining star, Carmelo Anthony, who was held to 15 points and 4-for-16 shooting from the field. "That's a tough situation, but I think that would be making excuses if I sit here and say that they beat us because we're not at full strength. We still got guys that have to go out there and play . . . so I don't want to use that as an excuse."

Asked if his team can beat the Celtics without Stoudemire at his best, coach Mike D'Antoni admitted, "Probably not."

As for Sunday afternoon's Game 4 at the Garden, Stoudemire said, "There's no way I'll be 100 percent by Sunday."

This was the 10th anniversary of the Knicks' last home playoff win. They have lost nine straight playoff games dating to 2001.

As Anthony, who carried the Knicks so spectacularly with 42 points and 17 rebounds in Game 2, was smothered by the Celtics' defense, Stoudemire was mostly a decoy. He left with 3:45 remaining in the game and headed straight down the tunnel to the locker room. The exit was nowhere near as joyous as the entrance. Said D'Antoni, "He gave us everything he's got."

Before the game, D'Antoni acknowledged the Knicks were going to need about 35 to 40 points from Anthony. Eventually, D'Antoni asked him to basically run the offense as a point forward.

"Every time I got the ball, they [Celtics] sent somebody over [to double-team]," Anthony said. "That makes it tough, when you catch the ball and you're looking at two or three guys."

Shawne Williams led the Knicks with 17 points off the bench. And with the Knicks' Big Three reduced to one-and-a-half, Boston's Core Four dominated. Paul Pierce had 38 points, Ray Allen added 32, Rajon Rondo had a triple-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 20 assists, and Kevin Garnett pulled down 12 rebounds.

The Celtics quelled the passionate crowd with a 22-5 start to the game, saw the Knicks move within five on five occasions in the second quarter and then put it away with a 34-19 third quarter.

"For us, you know you're in a hostile environment," Allen said. "We've been here before in this situation. It was exciting. It was a great atmosphere."

Allen was 8-for-11 from downtown (he's 15-for-20 in the series). His eight made threes was the most by a Knicks opponent in a playoff game, as he surpassed past Knicks-killers Reggie Miller, Tim Hardaway and, yes, Michael Jordan.

The Celtics hit 14-for-24 from three-point range, including 6-for-8 by Pierce. Doc Rivers credited Rondo for Boston's offensive explosion, likening his performance in running the team to Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. Said Rivers, "He called a great game."