The Celtics Title Defense Has Finally Resumed And It's Time To Bury The Knicks For Good

Brian Babineau. Getty Images.

Finally, Game 1 has arrived. While I don't think anyone would have passed up the opportunity for this team to get some extra rest, especially when it led to a clean injury report 

these last 5-6 days since the Celts last played a playoff game have taken forever. But now that this group is healthy, rested, and ready to roll it's time to pick right back up where they left off only with a new roadblock standing in their way as they continue to climb the playoff mountain.

This time around, it's the New York Knicks. The team that spent their summer trying to build and mold their roster with one goal in mind. 

Beat the Boston Celtics.

We know this, because they pretty much told us. Loading up in 3&D wings, bringing in a sloor spacing 5, it wasn't exactly a secret that they were building their 2024-25 roster with one team in mind. That's not all that uncommon, as it's something you see all the time once a team wins the title. The league shifts to try and match that style/roster construction.

During the regular season, things didn't go so well. The Knicks lost all 4 games by an averaging of over 16 points, they were held to just a 113 ORTG/ 130 DRTG / -17.2 net rating, and a lot of the matchups they thought they were closing ground in, actually were just as much of a disaster as always. Bridges/OG struggled to contain the Jays, KAT was targeted over and over and over in space. KP was able to feast given the Knicks weren't comfortable coming out to 35ft etc.

As a result of those games, there's a certain assumption that this series is going to be a walk in the park for the defending Champs, and while it's true that the Knicks have to prove they can solve the matchup problems that they were unable to handle during the year, I do think this idea that the Knicks are somehow not a formidable opponent is a bit much.

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The playoffs are not the regular season. If you don't know that by now, I don't know what to tell you. As we just saw yesterday, nothing in the playoffs is guaranteed, and very rarely do things go exactly as you plan. You could make the case that their final meeting of the year, the only one that wasn't a blowout, is more along the lines of what to expect in a playoff series, especially with Mitchell Robinson back.

Knowing the Knicks will be motivated given the entire world things they're chopped liver, it's important that the Celts certainly do not play with that mindset. Respect your opponent, dominate the margins, and play your game. Just because you crushed this team 4 different times during the year does not mean that's a foregone conclusion to happen again. It's going to be crucial that the Celts make sure they're ready for the following areas

Don't be lazy and rebound the basketball

If there's one thing the Celts were terrible at in their ORL series, it was defensive rebounding. They finished 12th of the 16 teams in DREB%. They allowed the Magic to average 11.4 OREB a game, which was 13th. In their final meeting of the year, the Knicks finished with 17 OREB, with Mitchell Robinson snagging 4 by himself, the same with Josh Hart. One thing that really hurt the Celts in Round 1 were all these Magic players crashing from the perimeter and keeping possessions alive, due to lazy defensive rebounding.

Well, guess how Josh Hart makes his money? By being super aggressive and crashing the offensive glass. This is an area where the Celts cannot just rely on their bigs. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE has to rebound, and part of rebounding is finding a body and boxing out. 

When you allow teams you should be better than to hang around due to OREB/2nd chance points, you open up a path to drop a game you have no business dropping. We know this because it's exactly how the Magic were able to stay close. Playoffs are about rebounding and ball security, and in this series that's going to be a major factor.

Be ready to get back to fully embracing Mazzulla Ball

On the season, the Knicks were 5th in the NBA in 3PA allowed by their opponent, sitting at 35.7 a game. Against the Celtics, that number ballooned to 48.7. Coming off a series in which the Celts were only taking just over 30 3PA a game, this is going to be a very different matchup in terms of what shots are available.

The situation is pretty self-explanatory. The Knicks hate switching, as nobody played more drop against the Celtics than NYK, and you can understand why. The issue during the year was that KAT got a little too deep in his drop coverage, which opens up the path for the Tatum pull up 3PA coming off a high screen. My guess is we don't see KAT drop as deep this time around, but that also presents another challenge, which is Tatum then getting downhill against a slow footed center.

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This is where embracing Mazzulla Ball is going to be key. The Knicks ARE NOT the Magic. This is a team that can hit jumpers/3PA at a great clip. While the 3PT volume and 3P creation weren't a huge deal against the Magic, you can't have that same approach against the Knicks. This team has to generate looks, and unless the Knicks also decide to completely sell out on shooters and not rotate, the Celts need to take those open looks with confidence.

I would not describe the Knicks as a team with which you want to trade 2s for 3s. They will most likely give you the shots and looks you want, but you have to take them without hesitation.

Seal hunt, but with a purpose

What makes this version of the Knicks different compared to previous seasons, is that their two best offensive players are also two of their biggest defensive targets. They need Brunson/KAT on the floor, which means the Celts will have plenty of opportunity to seal hunt and exploit those mismatches.

This is going to require KP to actually be impactful with his mismatches. While the majority of his usage will be pulling KAT from the rim, this team needs to also utilize him against smaller players. I would say the same thing with the Jays as well. This is a matchup where they should be able to target seals at their pleasure.

The important thing is that they do it with purpose. What I mean by that is when there's a mismatch, attack it quickly. None of this KP holding the ball for 20 seconds while he sizes up his defender while everyone stands around and watches. Those decisions need to be quick, and they need to be made with force. We got the exact opposite in the ORL series, and it's no surprise that was one of the worst offensive series we've ever seen from KP.

If the Knicks help, bury them with 3s. If they don't, then that's a battle you need to own. 

I'd also like to see some off ball cutting whenever we see the Celts go to the post to attack these switches. Way too much standing around and watching for my liking whenever we see this, and I don't think it's too crazy to have a cut every once in a while.

Win the foul battle

Both the Celtics and the Knicks were great all year at defending without fouling. The Celts were 1st in the league in opponent FTA, the Knicks 4th. So far in the playoffs, the Celts are once again 1st, with the Knicks being 15th. The same way you may fall victim to some Brunson antics, it's just as likely that the Celts will be able to exploit KAT for some pretty dumb fouls. Until he can prove he's outgrown those issues, I say attack him.

I would also suggest you don't fall into the trap of "Jalen Brunson is only good because of FTs". Don't be an idiot. He does not need FTA to be effective, but he's similar to SGA in that he knows how to use them as an addition to his offensive arsenal. This is going to require everyone from Jrue to Derrick to Pritchard to make sure they stay down on his jump fakes. You know it's coming, we know it's coming, and you HAVE to stay down. This could be on a paint drive or a 3PA. Discipline in this area is going to be perhaps the biggest deciding factor in this series. 

Do. Not. Fall. For. The. Bait.

The Celtics enter tonight's Game 1 with a tremendous opportunity. Given what took place yesterday between IND/CLE, for the moment, homecourt advantage throughout the East playoffs is up for grabs. This of course requires them to handle their own shit, which begins by taking care of business and winning Game 1. Do not let the Knicks have any life. Set the tone early, and play to your standard while making sure you own the margins. Defense, rebounding, ball security. 

The journey up the playoff mountain is never as easy as you think it's going to be, so it's better if the Celts just pretend those previous 4 games never happened. They certainly don't matter tonight, and you know the Knicks will come ready to play.