Heat vs. Celtics Preview: LeBron's Revenge?

This is what we've all been waiting for, and by "we" I mean everyone who pays attention to LeBron James, all of the haters and those of us who hate him a little bit less. When Bron made his decision last summer, you know he had the Celtics in mind. If they could get a big 3 together and torture him in the postseason, why the hell not form his own super team on South Beach? He was coming off an ugly playoff loss to Boston in which he would be accused of everything from choking under the pressure to actually intentionally tanking a game. Everyone from his former owner (who basically made the allegation that he threw games 5 and 6 despite a triple double in the latter) to Bill Simmons (who has hinted that a certain player named Delonte having relations with his mother may have been the reason for his end of series change in attitude, and who just so happens to play for the Celtics now) have analyzed the last 3 games of last year's Cavs-Celtics series like it was the zapruder film. LeBron has to come out and average close to a triple double, 30 points and some how manage some end of game shots to get the Boston monkey off his back. If he can do that, with the help of his new buddies, he can at least say the most unpopular decision in sports history would be somewhat worth it. Hate all you want on him, but he got past the Celtics finally.

That's easier said than done. The Celtics played like garbage for about 40% of the Knicks series but still managed the first sweep of the Big 3 era. The Heat are kind of a magnified version of the Knicks (by about 1000 percent, but still) as they throw 3 good to great players out there alongside a motley crew of nobodies, except their big trio is actually healthy. They'll also have trouble keeping up with Rondo and have no real intimidators on the interior, even if their defense is still near the top of the league. Boston seemed to progressively get better in the last series (minus about a 8 minute period in the second half of the close out game) and the ridiculous stretched out schedule for this series (David Stern needs the Heat on Sunday) should benefit the Celtic senior citizens. Ex Miami center Shaq might even make some appearances before he breaks his hip.Home court is usually a big deal, but this veteran Boston team can win on the road so that shouldn't be a huge issue. Whatever happens, it should be intense and all of us haters will be watching. I hate all things Boston and especially these Celtics so it'll be tough for me, but I think I hate this Heat team even more.

Celtics win a game 7 in Miami.

It Was All Good Just A Week Ago

Remember when the Knicks were given a punchers shot at stealing a series from the sluggish and seemingly disinterested Celtics? Remember last Sunday, when the Knicks showed a defensive effort, and played like they belonged there....for 47:23?

Well, as is usual with the Knicks, an opportunity for total disappointment is never missed. One of the ugliest 37 second stretches I've seen in a while was followed by another inspired effort. Without Stat, Melo carried the team and Jared Jeffries added to his legacy by providing a Charles Smith-like memory in what would be another painful loss. Then there was Good Friday. The Celtics where left more open than they were in their own shoot around. The C's hit 14 of 24 three pointers with Ray Allen going 8/11. Sometimes, great shooters will beat you regardless of what you do. However, leaving the most prolific three point shooter in the league's history about 6 feet open isn't ever going to help the cause. The defense was pathetic. The lack of energy was total disrespect to all Knicks fans who've waited so long for a playoff game.

The Knicks can't possibly be as bad as they were Friday night (at least I hope so), but it doesn't matter. I'm disappointed with this team. A loss tonight makes this entire season a failure. Losing this series is something all Knicks fans somewhat expected. No one expected them to provide us reminders of how awful things got throughout the season. We were provided with numerous frustrating examples of how solid this team can be defensively, and then seemingly forget how to play defense on other nights. How they just sort of show up on nights they need wins, and just sit around playing with a "so what" attitude.

This team obviously needs some pieces to compete. Pieces like a center who can rebound or a point guard who can play point guard (Toney Douglas is painful to watch). This team also needs a new coach. I've called for D'Antoni's head a few weeks ago and again a few days ago. There is no excuse for a lack of intensity, a lack of consistency, or a lack of urgency. It's not totally his fault, but he has a lot of blame in the matter. If you can't get your team to show up every night, if you can't get them to focus every night, and if you can't inspire them to get out of a mid game funk...you have to go.

The Knicks may sneak a win tonight, they probably won't...but does any of it matter? I'll be watching, but I'll have a quick remote control trigger finger.

Happy Easter PTU readers.

Knicks vs Celtics Game 3 Preview

Where were you on the evening of April 22nd, 2001? At the time it probably didn't mean much to anyone, but that was the last time that Knicks fans have enjoyed a playoff victory (the guys calling the game tonight for ESPN were the head coach and point guard of that team). 10 years ago exactly today. In my case I was in a college dorm room most likely neglecting my studies, drinking a 40 and eating a hot pocket, and was probably not too overly excited. After all, April 2001 wasn't too far removed from the years when the first round of the playoffs was merely a formality for the Knicks. Who could have guessed the horrors of the next decade that would await Knicks fans? I remember thinking that the 48 win team that season kind of sucked. Now, win-starved Knicks fans are treating two close losses against an aging, mostly disinterested Celtics team as reason for a parade. Forget moral victories, the Knicks need to win a game, regardless if Chauncey or Amare play tonight, if not just for Carmelo's reputation then at least for New York basketball fans' sanity.

Keys to victory tonight are the same as ever: keep up this new found defensive intensity, somehow try to duplicate that rebounding performance of game 2, set picks and move the ball in order to get Carmelo away from double teams (instead of the stand on one side of the court and wait 8 seconds for Melo to get position offense) and for the love of Derek Jeter and all things holy, keep Jared Jeffries off the fucking court in the last 2 minutes.

Is A Day Enough To Get It Together?

Thank you, David Stern. Somehow thinking it’s appropriate and necessary to have playoff games span over multiple nights, even though the games will be played in the same gym may help my New York Knicks tonight.

After Sunday’s depressing loss, a day off in Boston may actually help the Knicks in game 2 in a series I refuse to accept is over. Playing back to back nights after allowing an alley-oop inbound score, committing a bullcrap offensive foul, allowing a great three point shot, and missing a miserable 3 point attempt (all in about 37 seconds of hoops), a night off may actually help the Knicks.

The extra day off may allow just enough time for the Knicks to get over mourning the loss and focus on doing what built that lead on Sunday. It will also give Mike D'Antoni time to fix some of the holes that lead to Sunday's collapse.

The defense was fantastic. Blocked shots, hard fouls, and hands up defense were all things I doubted this team would ever do under D’Antoni. The problem was the offense. Melo shot like crap, but I’ll let Jalen Rose give you his insightful, “For the New York Knicks to win tonight, Carmelo Anthony needs to have a better offensive game,” sometime before the game. The offense was at its worse when they went into isolation basketball with someone (namely Melo and Billups) holding the ball for 6 seconds and heaving up a bad looking or difficult shot while everyone else just stood around and looking at each other. It looked like the times Kobe goes into “number 8” mode and makes amazing shots at times but the offense as a whole does not seem cohesive. The offense seemed to be its best when Stat was movin' and groovin' (thanks Clyde) and was drawing defenders and getting him the ball.

Mike D’Antoni is considered to be an offensive genius. He’s had an extra day to look at tape and an extra day to get his team in line. I have to think he saw all of that. Now the question lies in whether he can convince his team to listen and start moving, especially with that extra day to prepare. I have some faith he can and say the Knicks win it tonight by 5. If not, Mike D has to go.

Knicks Vs. Celtics Playoffs Preview

What more can be said about the Boston-New York rivalry that hasn't already been said to death by every writer in New York? The media loves to force rivalries where there are none (San Antonio and Phoenix?) and as I've said before, the way in which players are so chummy these days it's hard to recreate the intense rivalries of the past decades. Except Boston and New York beef is legitimate. We really don't like their sports teams and they don't like ours. Some of us more serious fans might let that hate creep into our feelings for the actual cities. Get equally hard-core Boston and New York fans together in the same room and it can quickly spiral into uncomfortable jokes about each other's histories (for the record, the Boston accent does sound stupid, and the city is historically racist).

Now to the match-ups and predictions:

Point Guard: Billups vs Rondo

This match-up is getting plenty of hype lately, and the edge has to go to Rondo. Rajon might be the most important player for the C's. We all know he's got the shooting touch of a drunk Frankenstein, but he's way too quick for a hobbling old Chauncey. When he's getting inside and doing those stupid behind the back fakes the defense has to collapse and that means open shots for the other green guys.

Shooting Guard: Ray Allen vs Landry Fields

The hell happened to Landry? As much as it pains me to say it, Bottle
might have been right about this guy. Or at least, he's right that the Knicks made too much of a stink over him. A combination of the rookie wall late in the season , and, by his own admission, a struggle to fit into a mostly isolation offense since Melo arrived, and the guy who the Knicks refused to include in the trade has practically played himself out of the rotation. He's a decent on the ball defender though, so he may be able to get into Ray Ray a little bit. Even so, the edge goes to the Celtics here by a wide margin

Small Forward: Carmelo Anthony vs Paul Pierce

This is a close one. Carmelo is an unbelievable scorer who's gone 3 point shot crazy since coming to the Knicks and Pierce is a historic Knick killer and big time playoff performer, but Melo gets the edge here. All eyes are going to be on Anthony for this series, all the Letterman and SNL appearances don't mean anything if he doesn't put up lights out numbers in his first playoff series. It's what the Knicks traded half of their team for and what is expected of him. Put up or shut up time, Melo.

Power Forward: Amare Stoudemire vs Kevin Garnett

A few years ago, this would have been the marquee match-up of the series. Age and injuries have slowed both of these guys down a bit, but it should still be fun to watch. Top that off with the fact that these guys hate each other (dating back to their Western conference playoff battles) and it could get ugly out there. Amare's been bragging in the papers about how K.G. tried to intimidate him as a rookie the first time they played in the postseason, and how he rocked him for 38 points, so expect both guys to be motivated. Garnett will be letting the "motherfuckers" and "Bitch ass ni#$as" fly and smacking himself in the face and whatever other retarded ways he jacks himself up (should Garnett apologize to bitch ass ni#$as everywhere if Kobe had to apologize for his F word?). I give a slight edge to the Knicks if Amare is fully recovered from his ankle injury, though.

Center: Ronny Turiaf/Shelden Williams vs. Shaq/Jermaine O'neal/Nenad Krstic/?

Not quite Ewing vs. Parish this series. Shaq's health is the (big surprise) concern here, and if he can't go full Diesel, than expect to see a rotating big man starting line-up for the Celtics. Nice job, Ainge. Betting that Shaq and Jermaine would stay healthy while trading away your emotional leader starting Center is kind of like betting the deed on your house on Lindsay Lohan staying on the wagon. The Knicks aren't much better at this position. Edge to the Celtics here though, since they have more warm bodies to trot out there (and Shelden Williams injured himself in a meaningless game last week).

Benches: T.Douglas, Bill Walker, Shawne Williams, Anthony Carter, whoever doesn't start at center vs. Baby Davis, Jeff Green, whoever doesn't start at center, Delonte West
Toney will be that ever popular "x factor" that Greg Anthony loves to talk about. He plays close to starter minutes, and D'Antoni likes to put him out there alongside Billups to alleviate the defensive responsibilities, and if he's hitting his 3s and little floaters, the Knicks might win the battle of the benches. I'm not sold on Jeff Green, but he can get buckets too. Very slight edge to the Celts since so much of the Knicks' bench (as well as entire team) relies on 3 point accuracy.

Coaches: Mike D. vs. Doc Rivers

Remember when Doc was the worst coach evahh in Boston? Just add 2 hall of famers and you're Red Auerbach reincarnated. D'Antoni's getting a lot of somewhat deserved hate around here, and anything less than a six game series might mean the ax for him. Edge to Celtics.

So, the Knicks don't have much going for them it appears. Nevertheless, Boston's been up and down just like they have since both teams' big trades and the Knicks are younger and stupider. They're likely to get hot in a game or 2 and get the Celtics doubting themselves a little. This is the team that made it to game 7 last year (minus Perkins) and won a title two years ago so I don't see them getting too rattled. It's nice to see any kind of competitive basketball around Easter time in New York, but I'm afraid it will be a short-lived feeling of excitement, at least for this year.

Celtics in 6.

New York vs. Boston Again

BOSTON SUCKS! BOSTON SUCKS!

I realized during the last Knicks Celtics game, (the one where the Knicks blew a 9 point 4th quarter lead) that this is probably the only city specific chant that transcends all sports. The Celtics fans in attendance tried to counter with a weak "New York sucks" chant, but c'mon now, we all know the real chant is "Yankees suck". "New York sucks" just doesn't roll off the tongue of 20,000 drunk fans like "Boston Sucks", (maybe "Beat L.A." can be adapted to other sports, but that's pretty much a Lakers chant). Thankfully, this chant has such a great ring to it, because we'll be hearing a lot of it at the Garden next week. I was all set to write the "Be careful what you wish for" Knicks Heat preview, before wouldn't you know it but the Heat clobbered the Celts on Sunday and tonight the Wizards beat the Celtics B squad ensuring the Heat will have the 2 seed in the East, and we're all going to see a Knicks Celtics playoffs match up for the first time since 1990 (a series best remembered for the Knicks winning a game 5 at Boston Garden and Ewing hitting a fall away 3 pointer).

These next few days we'll all hear a lot about how these are two of the original NBA teams and all that, but the sad truth is Paul Pierce was right; there is no rivalry here other than the Boston-New York animosity built up from the other sports. The two teams haven't managed to be contenders at the same time since the 60's, and this year they still aren't. Boston is a legitimate championship threat, and the Knicks are just happy to be wearing shorts in late April. Three fairly heated games were played this season, though, so we're likely to at least see some intensity starting this weekend, but this still isn't the beginning of a multi-season rivalry. This Celtics team has at best one more run in them as presently constituted, and this Knicks team has a ways to go before really being a contender, so we're not seeing a preview of things to come here. Everyone's counting out this Knicks team as an easy sweep for Boston, but I'm not too sure of that. Stay tuned for part 2 of Bagel's Knicks-Celtics preview for predictions and match-ups (it won't be a sweep).

Knicks vs. Celtics Preview

It's time for Round 3 between the Knicks and the Celtics, this time with none of the buzz that preceded the last game. We all remember that game, the first Knicks game in years that everyone and their mother in New York watched (and a few people around the country on ESPN) only to be disappointed by that stupid scene up there (Paul Pierce did a victory lap around the Garden court without aid of a wheelchair) and an Amare three that came a split second too late.

You would think that the first game vs. the hated Celtics since the Balkman trade would have everyone in the city hyped up, but the Knicks crappy past week and a half have effectively killed any good feelings that would have us long suffering fans excited for a late March contest that didn't involve an office pool. 4 straight losses to garbage Eastern Conference teams (sandwiched around a 3 point happy win in front of a very drunk St. Patrick's day Garden crowd) will do that. Not to mention, the last 2 games have featured Carmelo going 2 for 12 and holeing up on the team bus instead of talking to the media (a faux pas in NY for sure), followed by a 9 point first quarter to the Bucks. THE BUCKS. I'm fairly certain that myself, Bottle and Snoot could score 9 points vs. Carlos Delfino and the Bucks*.

Luckily for the Bockers, the Celtics have been pretty up and down lately themselves, getting blown out by inferior teams and losing a few home games. A lot of their issues can be traced to the slumping play of their early season MVP, Rondo. Always an offensive liability (to put it nicer than I usually do), his game has dropped to near Jared Jeffries levels as of late (except for the passing ability and general quality as a human being that J.J. lacks). Over 3 games last week, Rajon shot 11 percent, and averaged 1.3 points a game. If he can give them anything offensively, then teams won't be able to use the Corky from Life Goes On defense on him. When Rondo plays well, the Celts are near impossible to beat.

I was talking about the Knicks recent success against the better teams the other day, but the way that they have been playing lately, I have trouble picking them to win tonight. Celtics by 7 or 8.

*We definitely could not.

On a personal note, this will be my last ever regular season game in my usual seats. It would be a shame to lose to Boston on this momentous occasion. I'll try to do some live updates from the game.