It’s not the start the
Boston Celtics
They aimed to succeed in their Eastern Conference Semifinals matchup with the New York Knicks. Their plan was to leverage their home-court edge by securing victories in the initial two matches at TD Garden.
While they were on their way to win both games, the Knicks had other plans. The third seed overhauled 20-point deficits to claim the first two games before the series heads to Madison Square Garden. What’s painful is that New York pulled off the comebacks despite time not being on their side.
During Game 1, the Celtics were ahead by 20 points at 75-55 when Derrick White made a three-pointer with just under 5 minutes and 47 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Similarly, two days later, Boston maintained a 20-point advantage (73-53) following Kristaps Porzingis hitting a three-pointer with 3 minutes and 12 seconds left in the same period of the game.
Those monumental collapses have the Celtics faithful concerned about the team’s chances to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, especially with the Knicks having a 27-14 record at home.
However, while the defending NBA champions are in a hole, they can still bounce back and win the series. After all, as the CelticsGlobe account on X/Twitter pointed out, Boston held the lead for over 81 game minutes in both games. Conversely, the Knicks held the lead for only 12 minutes.
https://x.com/PlayoffCeltics/status/1920320117159723131
When it comes to closing games on the road, the Celtics are the league’s best after compiling a 33-8 regular-season away record. They also won one game at the Orlando Magic’s home floor during their first-round series.
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Similarly, the Celtics fell short by just four points overall, even with their fourth-quarter meltdowns and difficulties shooting from beyond the arc. Regaining their champion mindset could put them right back into contention.
The match between the Celtics and the Knicks scheduled for Game 3 will take place on Saturday, May 10. This game is crucial for the Celtics since no NBA team has managed to win a playoff series when trailing 0-3.
MORE CELTICS NEWS:
- Ex-Celtics NBA champion criticizes Jayson Tatum, saying he lacks ‘heart’
- Celtics player Jaylen Brown shared an Instagram story highlighting Kendrick Lamar.
- Did Jayson Tatum trigger a fire alarm to dodge the press? Here’s what you should know regarding the event at TD Garden.
