(3) Boston vs (6) New York

Can the new look Knicks play any defense?

 Season series: Boston 4-0

Ed: I have literally been staring at my computer screen for 45 minutes trying to come up with how to start this preview. Half of the attempts before this came out as direct addresses to the Knicks players talking about how ‘This is where legends are born’ Herb Brooks Miracle style. All I’m going to say is that this series has the potential to be one of the best in recent memory. Great match-ups across the board with Rajon Rondo-Chauncey Billups, Paul Pierce-Carmelo Anthony, and Amare Stoudemire-Kevin Garnett, and of course the classic great defense vs. great offense storyline. Both teams also have major question marks heading into the playoffs, with the Celtics still iffy about who they have playing center and coming off the bench, and the Knicks unsure if they can keep anyone under 120 points. Anyway, since I could very certainly write a 10-page paper on this series, I’ll end it with the only thing I’m sure about – Knicks in 7. 

Chris: Here we are, the MARQUEE MATCHUP OF THE FIRST ROUND.  The playoffs are back in Madison Square Garden after a lengthy hiatus and despite my dislike of the Knickerbockers (I bleed green) I love it.  It is better for the league. In many ways I am a basketball purist, I love it when the venerated franchises of yesteryear achieve success or appear poised to.  However, my excitement over the return of Knicks basketball has not affected my judgment of the Knicks playoff chances like many media types and, of course, Knicks fans.  The Celtics will not lose to the Knicks.  This is not the series with the greatest “upset potential.”  There, I said it.  Let us look at this objectively so as not to confuse my opinion with homerism.  The Knicks do not play defense.  Mike D’Antoni does not coach defense.  A Mike D’Antoni team has never had consistent playoff success.  Carmelo Anthony has not had playoff success. The Celtics, in their current incarnation, play defense and have had consistent playoff success.  Despite their lackadaisical closing of the season, their defense stayed on par with season statistics.  I would not discount a Melo/Amare offensive explosion in one or two of these games.  I still maintain that the Celtics will win in 5.

Sam: While Boston won all four games in the season series, this will not be a sweep. The Knicks are a much different team than they were in the beginning of the season with the addition of Carmelo Anthony and the loss of Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Raymond Felton. Gone are the free flowing Mike D’Antoni Knicks that loved to run with Felton and now they have two ball dominating stars in Amare Stoudemire and Anthony. The Celtics haven’t exactly lit the world aflame as of late, coming into the playoffs wining only 5 of their last 10 while the Knicks won 7. However, the Knicks are absolutely dreadful on the defensive end, tied with the Golden State Warriors for 27^th in the league. In the playoffs, defense that bad is just not going to win games. Celtics in 6.