5 keys for Knicks in facing Celtics in Eastern Conference semifinal
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns celebrates late in the fourth quarter of a win over the Detroit Pistons in Game 4 of an NBA first-round playoff series Sunday in Detroit. Credit: AP/Duane Burleson
Five keys for the Knicks in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Boston Celtics:
1. WING STOP HAS TO STEP UP
When the Knicks went all-in last summer, signing OG Anunoby to the richest contract in franchise history and dealing away five first-round picks for Mikal Bridges, it was with one eye on this matchup, knowing that to get out of the Eastern Conference, you have to find a way to counter Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
So far, it’s been a mixed bag. Bridges and Anunoby struggled offensively against Boston in the regular season, and if you’re wondering how they did defensively, you only need to know that the Celtics won all four games, three in blowout fashion. Both of the Boston stars have been dinged up (Tatum has a wrist bruise; Brown has knee soreness), so there is no better time to turn the criticism directed at the front office.
2. AND IF YOU STOP THE STARS, THE NEXT TASK IS . . .
The real strength of the Celtics is that they’re not a one-man (or two-man) show, but an excess of riches with five starters who could be leaders of most any team and a deep and talented bench that comes at you in waves. They will put up three-point field goals at a historic pace, averaging 48.2 attempts per game during the regular season and converting 36.8%. In the opening-night blowout of the Knicks, they tied an NBA record for most threes made with 29 (and missed setting the record only because their subs missed their final 13 attempts while the TD Garden crowd roared for the record chase).
In the five games in the opening round against Orlando, the Celtics averaged only 31.2 attempts. Against the Knicks, they attempted 48.3 per game and shot 43.5% — and leaving shooters open on the perimeter has been a consistent issue for the Knicks.
3. THE KNICKS’ UNICORN NEEDS TO MAKE FANS FORGET THE OLD ONE
Karl-Anthony Towns is a unique talent, a 7-footer with nearly unlimited range from outside the arc, converting 42% this season for the Knicks. And while he had his moments — shooting 48% from three-point range and hitting a long three to give the Knicks Game 4 in Detroit — he also disappeared too often, going scoreless in the second half of Game 2 and scoring only 10 points in Game 6 before fouling out in the final minute. Kristaps Porzingis has flourished in Boston. But while it may go under the radar in Boston, where there are so many weapons, he shot 2-for-17 from three-point range in the series against Orlando and scored in single digits in three of the games. The Celtics might be able to absorb that, but the Knicks need Towns to star beside Jalen Brunson.
4. PROTECT BRUNSON AT ALL COSTS
The Celtics may not try to rough up Brunson the way the Pistons did, but Boston has elite defenders in Jrue Holiday, as long as he’s healthy, and Derrick White.
Brunson averaged 26.8 points and shot 52.8% (43.3% from three-point range) against Boston this season, but the real key is keeping him healthy. He has struggled with ankle problems since suffering a sprain in March but managed to play through it with 40 points in 42 minutes in Game 6 against Detroit.
5. THE X-FACTOR TO EMERGE
The Celtics’ advantage in depth may not be nearly as important at this point in the season with no back-to-back sets and every team playing their stars huge minutes, but Boston still had nine players play at least 14.8 minutes in the first round while the Knicks essentially trimmed their rotation to seven players for most of the Detroit series.
Cam Payne played a huge role in Game 1 of that series but then disappeared. Deuce McBride has struggled to find his offense since returning from his own injury troubles, shooting 26.7% overall and 26.3% from three-point range vs. Detroit.
Mitchell Robinson can be a factor defensively and on the boards, but he contributes little offensively. The Pistons made him the target of intentional fouling as he struggled from the line, forcing Tom Thibodeau to pull him from games.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
