In the offseason, the New York Knicks were seen as the biggest threat to the defending champion Boston Celtics. They had put together a roster designed to stop the Celtics with two elite defenders in OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. However, the Celtics were 4-0 against New York in the regular season, with only one game being decided by single digits and two games being 20-plus point blowouts. During these games, the Celtics highlighted some of the Knicks’ limitations. Furthermore, the Knicks haven’t looked like the elite team they were projected to be, going 0-10 against the league’s best teams. With the two teams set to face off in the second round of the playoffs, let’s dive into why the Celtics are primed to dominate.
Celtics Set to Expose Knicks Roster Flaws
The Knicks Have Players to Hunt on Defense
Anunoby, Bridges, and Josh Hart are high-level wing defenders, with Anunoby being an elite defender. However, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are poor defenders; having a perimeter and interior defender to constantly attack is ideal for a Celtics offense that loves to hunt matchups. Against the Celtics, Towns posted a defensive field goal percentage of 55.3 and an atrocious 76.2 dfg at the rim. Towns will allow the Celtics to generate easy looks in the paint. While Brunson’s overall dfg% of 46.7 against Boston is solid, his 45% dfg on three-pointers is concerning. Brunson was also a plus 11.7 net defensive difference against the Celtics, meaning the Knicks were significantly better with him off the court. Additionally, Brunson’s size makes him an easy target to hunt. Having two limited defenders will allow the Celtics to generate elite and efficient offense.
The Knicks have the fifth-worst opponent three-point percentage, which is a nightmare against the Celtics’ elite three-point shooting. In games against the Knicks, Boston posted an absurd 130.2 offensive rating with a 17.2 net rating. The Celtics also made 21 threes and shot 43.5 percent from beyond the arc against New York. Jayson Tatum averaged 33.5 points, 7 assists, and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 47.8 from three, and Kristaps Porziņģis averaged 24.5 points in games against the Knicks.
Tatum is poised to continue his playoff dominance while Porziņģis is set to bounce back after a slow start in the playoffs. Jaylen Brown is also primed for a big series as the Knicks will be focused on containing Tatum. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday should feast against the Knicks’ weak three-point defense.
The Celtics Can Contain the Knicks’ Stars
The Celtics’ defense can also limit Brunson and Towns. With Brown, White, and Holiday, the Celtics have a plethora of elite perimeter defenders to throw at Brunson. Undoubtedly, Brunson is a great player who will score at a high clip, but the Celtics’ matchup optionally will make life difficult for him. Brunson struggles against bigger and athletic perimeter defenders, as we saw in the first round against Ausar Thompson. Due to this, Brown is likely the best matchup for him. Holiday’s size and strength will allow him to guard Brunson a good amount if he’s healthy. White will get his fair share of looks as well; his IQ and size will allow him to contain Brunson.
Against an inexperienced Detroit Pistons squad, the Knicks struggled, and the offense was too Brunson-centric. The Celtics thrive against predictable offenses like the Knicks. Towns will also struggle against the Celtics’ defenders, specifically Porziņģis and Tatum. Notably, Porziņģis held Towns to 36.4 percent shooting in the regular season. Additionally, Towns struggles against strong and athletic wings like Tatum. Ultimately, the Celtics have clear advantages against New York on both ends of the floor.
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