Billups: Knicks are fresh, new, dangerous

The Knicks have a tough first-round match in the Celtics. But they also have confidence, a burgeoning belief in themselves and the very beginning of a swagger.

It doesn't matter to the Knicks that the Celtics beat them in their first three meetings this season. They believe they have the talent to take down the defending Eastern Conference champs.

"We probably are considered the most dangerous playoff team in the NBA," Chauncey Billups said Tuesday. "I say that because we are fresh and we are new and we are dangerous. We have a lot of weapons. We can move the scoreboard, our defense is getting a lot better. We're going to be a tough team; we're going to be a tough out."

The Knicks close out their regular season Wednesday night in Boston, and Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Billups will sit this one out.

Only one of the Knicks' losses to the Celtics, 96-86 March 21, came after the trade for Anthony and Billups. It was a physical, bloody game -- Anthony still has a scar near the corner of his eye from where he received stitches -- and it ended dismally for the Knicks when the Celtics went on a 10-0 run to close out the game.

"Brutal battles, man," Anthony said when asked about what he expected from the Celtics. "Wars. It's going to be a very intense, high-energy series. They got something to prove. We have something to prove. It's going to be crazy."

Boston is looking to prove it isn't over the hill, that it has what it takes to make one last run and get back to the NBA Finals. The Knicks are looking to establish themselves as a factor in the Eastern Conference, as a team that has finally come together after some ugly initial struggles.

For the most part, the Knicks were diplomatic, if not deferential when talking about the Celtics. When coach Mike D'Antoni was asked if the Knicks were a dangerous first-round opponent, he had to pause for a second.

"We can be that," he said. "We have enough talent. I don't think we're battle tested, so I don't know what we have."

The Knicks righted themselves after a recent six-game losing streak and had won seven in a row before losing Tuesday night, 103-90, to No. 1 seed Chicago.

Boston, by contrast, hasn't looked quite right since trading Kendrick Perkins right before the deadline. Boston has gone 11-11 down the stretch, amid rumors of chemistry problems.

Billups, however, doesn't take a lot of comfort in the Celtics' struggles.

"That team, they haven't been playing well lately, they haven't been healthy lately, and I'm sure they are looking forward to the postseason," he said. "I've been on those teams, veteran teams, where pretty much the regular season is just not that much fun. They look forward to the playoffs, and that's the kind of team they have, so we've got our hands full."

And Anthony, while saying he looks forward to the series, declined to declare who would be the winner. "I'm not Nostradamus,'' he said. "I don't make predictions. They've got something to prove. We've got something to prove. I'm pretty sure it's going to be a battle.''