Celtics-Knicks: 5 takeaways as New York ousts Boston to advance to East Finals

In emphatic trend, the New York Knicks booked their first journey to the Japanese Convention Finals in 25 years.

No drama, simply 48-minute celebration at Madison Sq. Backyard. It was a straight beatdown of the defending champion Boston Celtics in Recreation 6 of the Japanese Convention semifinals, a 119-81 victory wherein the Knicks tied their greatest lead in any recreation this season (41 factors).

Six Knicks scored in double-figures and Josh Hart recorded his first profession playoff triple-double (10 factors, 11 rebounds and 11 assists). However it was the protection that stood out, particularly given how the previous few video games had gone on that finish of the ground.

Listed here are some notes, quotes, numbers and movie because the Knicks clinched a playoff collection at dwelling for the primary time since 1999.

1. Knicks’ protection performs its greatest at the most effective time

Video games 3-5 of this collection had been, statistically, the Knicks’ worst three-game stretch of protection this season (129.6 factors allowed per 100 possessions). And it was solely an enormous offensive half that acquired them a win in Recreation 4 and three possibilities to shut out this collection.

Recreation 6 was in all probability the most effective protection the Knicks have performed all season. When a few non-rotation guys checked in for the Celtics with 1:49 left within the third quarter, that they had scored simply 51 factors on 69 possessions (0.74 per). That price would have been the fourth-worst offensive recreation for any group this season (common season or playoffs).

Boston was with out Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porziņģis has not been himself all collection, however the Celtics confirmed in Recreation 5 that they may nonetheless rating effectively with what that they had left.

For the Knicks, that loss was extra about poor protection. And from the best way Recreation 6 went, they’re in all probability proper. The Celtics took some unhealthy pictures on Friday, however the Knicks additionally pressured them into some powerful ones.

“The way in which we ready,” Jalen Brunson mentioned, “the best way we talked on the market, the best way we made it an emphasis to have one another’s again and proceed to battle for one another, it’s targeted on the defensive facet of the ball. Once we’re doing that, the offense … we’re flowing.”

Good (and unhealthy) protection begins in transition, and the Knicks made positive they weren’t giving the Celtics simple buckets or open 3-point makes an attempt within the open flooring. After scoring 80 factors on 52 transition possessions (1.54 per) in Video games 3-5, the Celtics had simply 16 on 25 (0.64 per) in Recreation 6, based on Synergy monitoring.

“Our group dedication in defensive transition,” mentioned Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, “guys had been protecting for one another. They had been speaking rather well, and so they understood what we had to remove with the intention to win.”

2. Robinson is a difference-maker

The Knicks received this collection with their closely used beginning lineup getting outscored by 24 factors in its 121 minutes.

Their bench doesn’t get many minutes, nevertheless it was the league’s ninth-ranked bench within the common season, and one specific reserve made all of the distinction on this collection.

Mitchell Robinson missed the primary 58 video games of the season, not making his season debut till Feb. 28. And with the Knicks having a bottom-10 protection at that time, it appeared clear that their greatest offseason loss was that of Isaiah Hartenstein, an enormous man who may do the soiled work.

Effectively, Robinson is wholesome now, and Hartenstein’s departure feels quite a bit much less vital. The truth is, Robinson was so vital on protection and on the offensive glass that the Celtics tried typically to get him off the ground by fouling him deliberately. That labored a few instances, however the Knicks’ back-up heart nonetheless made a big impact.

Within the collection, the Knicks had been 30 factors per 100 possessions higher with Robinson on the ground (plus-18.1) than they had been with him off the ground (minus-11.9), with enormous differentials on each offense and protection.

And in Recreation 6, he authored the Knicks’ signature defensive possession.

Within the span of seven seconds (and in transition), he rotated to each Celtic on the ground, ultimately closing out to Jaylen Brown within the left nook. He completely smothered Brown after which ripped the ball out of his palms:

Robinson performed simply 13 1/2 minutes on Friday, however the Knicks outscored the Celtics by 20 factors in that point.

3. The offense is healthier when all people contributes

You don’t win by 38 with out success on each ends of the ground, and Recreation 6 was the Knicks’ second most effective offensive efficiency of the playoffs.

Brunson (23 factors on 8-for-14 capturing, six assists) can definitely carry them at instances, however he didn’t should do an excessive amount of on Friday, with OG Anunoby (23), Mikal Bridges (22) and Karl-Anthony Cities (21) additionally eclipsing the 20-point mark.

Cities shot simply 1-for-6 from 3-point vary, ending 3-for-19 (16%) within the collection. However he was robust inside because the Knicks outscored the Celtics by 36 factors within the paint (48-34) or on the free throw line (19-7).

A few of that was Cities going to work (within the submit and on the glass) in opposition to smaller defenders:

And a few of it was making the most of the eye paid to Brunson:

However in both case, Cities was engaged and aggressive.

Within the convention finals, the Indiana Pacers will (in all probability) extra typically guard Cities with a middle than the Pistons or Celtics, who selected to place their facilities on Hart. That would get Cities higher seems to be from past the arc, although the Knicks will nonetheless want him to play massive on each ends of the ground.

4. Knicks lastly get a cushty win

Six of the Knicks’ first seven playoff wins had been inside three factors within the final 5 minutes, and the one exception was Recreation 1 of the primary spherical, once they trailed the Pistons by eight early within the fourth quarter after which went on a 21-0 run.

So this was their first comfy win of the postseason. And although it was by 38 factors, the whole rating of the convention semis was Knicks 634, Celtics 631. Previous to Recreation 6, New York had been outscored by 27 factors over its 11 playoff video games.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau wasn’t taking any possibilities with the rating on Friday, preserving not less than two starters on the ground till the 4:22 mark of the fourth quarter, although the lead by no means acquired under 30 after the primary 4 minutes of the second half. The Celtics, alternatively, went to non-rotation guys with rather less than two minutes left within the third interval.

Thankfully, no accidents had been suffered. And since they had been in a position to keep away from Recreation 7, the Knicks could have three full days off (with no journey) earlier than opening the Japanese Convention finals in opposition to the Pacers at dwelling on Wednesday.

“It was positively one among our higher performances, however I nonetheless really feel like we’ve an extended technique to go,” Brunson mentioned. “We proceed to be unhappy.”

5. Celtics could have some powerful selections to make this summer season

Something (even a 38-point blowout) can occur on any given evening, nevertheless it stays beautiful that the Celtics’ title protection is over this early.

Final yr’s Celtics had been one of the dominant groups we’ve ever seen, ending with the fifth-best level differential (common season and playoffs mixed) in NBA historical past. They usually ran it again, returning each rotation participant from that group.

However they by no means hit the identical stage that they reached in final yr’s postseason run. Then they suffered two beautiful collapses within the first two video games of this collection. Even then, it wasn’t laborious to search out observers who thought they’d ultimately prevail in opposition to an opponent that that they had in any other case dominated during the last two years.

However they blew one other massive lead in Recreation 4, after which Jayson Tatum suffered a devastating Achilles tear.

That harm adjustments the outlook for the Celtics’ offseason, as a result of, until they’re assured that Tatum will probably be again at 100% in 10 months or much less, subsequent yr’s group received’t be the identical stage of title contender that they’ve been these final two seasons.

However, with contract extensions for Tatum, Derrick White and Sam Hauser kicking in, they are going to be costlier, even when they don’t deliver again free brokers Al Horford and Luke Kornet. So it’s doable that the Celtics will select to unload different veterans to decrease their luxurious tax invoice.

Tatum and Brown are nonetheless simply 27 and 28 years outdated, respectively, so the Celtics’ championship window will lengthen nicely past subsequent season. But when there’s one other title of their future, it’ll probably include a considerably totally different supporting forged.

“Shedding to the Knicks seems like dying,” Brown mentioned. “However I used to be all the time taught that there’s life after dying. So we’ll prepare for no matter’s subsequent.”

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John Schuhmann is a senior stats analyst for NBA.com. You’ll be able to e-mail him right here, discover his archive right here and observe him on X.

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