New York Knicks look to press advantage as Boston Celtics search for shooting stroke
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum shot four of 15 from three-point range during their 108-105 NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals Game 1 loss against the New York Knicks at TD Garden on May 5.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
BOSTON – The Boston Celtics have their backs against the wall when they host the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Eastern Conference semi-finals on May 7 (May 8, Singapore time).
After the Knicks overcame a 20-point deficit in the third quarter to win Game 1 108-105 in overtime on May 5, the Celtics will try to avoid an 0-2 series hole before the scene shifts to New York for Game 3.
“This team is special,” New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns said. “Obviously (the Celtics are) the defending champions and they’re gonna come back hungrier and we need to play the next game at a higher level.”
Celtics starting centre Kristaps Porzingis, who averaged 19.5 points per game during the regular season, did not play in the second half of Game 1. He returned to the locker room shortly after coming out for the second half with what the team called a non-Covid-19 illness.
Porzingis missed eight straight games in March because of a viral illness.
They may not have to miss Porzingis for long, as the injury report on May 6 listed him as probable for Game 2. But Sam Hauser (right ankle sprain) is doubtful.
“KP is big for us,” Boston’s Jrue Holiday said. “Obviously so versatile, (a) person who can either play in the paint or stretch the floor. Protects the rim, protects the paint, blocks shots and we definitely miss him, but we’ve always had this next-man-up mentality.”
The Celtics were 15 of 60 from three-point range in Game 1. The 45 missed three-pointers were the most in an NBA play-off game.
Jayson Tatum was four of 15 from deep, Jaylen Brown was one of 10 and Derrick White finished five of 16. Boston missed 13 of their 15 three-point attempts in the fourth quarter.
“In those moments when the other team’s got momentum, we can’t just fire up threes,” Brown said.
“To break that momentum, you’ve got to get to the free-throw line, get to the paint, get to the basket, maybe get an easy two. And then, maybe, the next three-pointer feels a little bit better. I feel like we just settled in the second half a lot.”
This is the first time Boston have trailed in an NBA series since the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals.
“It stings,” Brown said. “We let our home crowd down. We’re looking forward to Game 2. In reality, you have to have a short memory. We have to throw it away and get ready for Game 2. We don’t have time to let stuff carry over. We’ll make adjustments and come ready to play.”
The Knicks left plenty of room for improvement as well. They were 17 of 31 from the foul line.
In addition, Towns and Jalen Brunson each played with foul trouble. Both players were called for three fouls in the first half. Towns picked up his fourth personal with 7min 7sec left in the third.
“It was a great team win,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We got into a hole, fought our way out and made big plays down the stretch. That’s huge for us.
“The important thing for us is to understand what it is. It’s one win and then (we have to) understand that we have to reset and get ready for Game 2.”
Also hoping to bounce back from a Game 1 upset loss are the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder dropped back-to-back games just twice in the regular season, and the top seeds in the West never lost more than two contests consecutively.
And yet Oklahoma City face the visiting Denver Nuggets on May 7 in Game 2 of their Western Conference semi-final series needing to rebound after the May 5 121-119 home loss to open the second round.
The Nuggets trailed by nine with less than three minutes remaining before Nikola Jokic helped mount a comeback, and before Denver won on Aaron Gordon’s three with less than four seconds remaining.
“We know it’s about how we respond,” Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “There’s nothing we can do about what just happened, so there’s no point to have our head down or be sad about it or sulk about it. All we can do is be better for the next game.”
Off the court, Thunder executive vice-president and general manager Sam Presti was named the 2024-25 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year on May 6.
It is the first honour for the 47-year-old, who previously finished second in 2009-10, 2019-20 and 2023-24. REUTERS
