Scouring the Internet, it's nearly impossible to find one credible source who has the Celtics beating the New York Knicks in the opening round. Even then, it's either in six or seven games.
With the seventh seed pretty much wrapped up, head coach Doc Rivers opted to rest several key players during the final weeks of the regular season. Fatigue and injuries also played a role in the decision.
While most teams pride themselves in trying to gain momentum heading into the playoffs, Boston took a completely different path. The team has lost 11 of its last 16 contests.
Sparked by a 13-game winning streak, New York comes into the series on the heels of a 16-2 run—the second-best record in the league during that stretch. Not to mention, both Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith have been on top of their games offensively.
With that said, picking the Celtics seems rather foolish unless you're in possession of some kind of inside information. Either that, or you're just a diehard homer.
Boston lost three of four to the Knicks during the regular season. That includes losses by 15 and 19 points during the teams' last two meetings.
His absence was surely felt by the Celtics, who were 19-5 against New York since acquiring Garnett in 2007. That included a first-round sweep during the 2011 playoffs.
In the two games with the 17-year veteran in the lineup, the margin of victory was six and three points, respectively.
But it's not only Garnett's presence that should offer Boston a boost in the series. The team has seemed to play significantly better in the postseason in years past.
After a rather disappointing regular season, the Celtics rallied to capture the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. They then went on an unheralded run to the conference finals, taking the eventual-champion Miami Heat to seven games. It was Boston's third appearance in five years.
New York can keep its season series win—the team's first since 2003-04—Boston has the postseason history on its side.
Terry has done little to nothing this season. Certainly nothing worthy of the $15 million contract he was given over the offseason.
In 79 appearances, Terry averaged 10.1 points, 2.5 assists and 2.1 rebounds over 26.9 minutes per game. He also shot 43.4 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from three-point range. It was easily his least productive season since his rookie campaign.
Through the Celtics' first 43 games, Green averaged just 9.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.6 blocks over 23.4 minutes per night. He also shot 42.7 percent from the floor and 32.9 percent from beyond the arc.
For the most part, Green looked lost out on the court. His play was full of hesitation, and he didn't make the most out of the little time he had on the floor.
In the 38 contests since, Green has averaged 16.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks over 32.8 minutes per game. He's also shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 43 percent from three-point distance.
Now, Green is attacking the hoop with more confidence. He's also found a hot hand from outside, making him tough to guard.
While it would be nice to get Terry to start contributing off the bench again, Boston doesn't need it. On the other hand, Green's production can be the difference between one-and-done or a lengthy postseason run.
As much heart and dedication that the Celtics bring to the court every night, there's just far too many reasons to believe that they'll fall short this time around.
Besides Rondo, Boston also lost rookie Jared Sullinger for the reason. Paired with nagging injuries to both Garnett and Paul Pierce, the team certainly has some issues. Not to mention, the duo of Garnett and Pierce are 36 and 35, respectively.
Then there's the scorching play of Anthony, who was crowned with the league's scoring title. He averaged 28.7 points per game.
Over eight games in April, Anthony averaged 36.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists over 36.4 minutes per game. He also shot 53.8 percent from the floor and 46.7 percent from downtown.
Anthony is playing at the peak of his career right now. Add to that, he'll be pretty well rested after sitting out the Knicks' final two games of the regular season.
Link: [Live Football] SV Grödig - SCR Altach - Austrian Erste Liga
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