Jayson Tatum getting scorching and burying absurd pictures with defenders draped throughout him? You tip your cap and pray it’s not an elimination sport.
However Kristaps Porziņģis splashing wide-open threes once more due to New York’s sleepwalking scheme? That one burns the movie earlier than it’s even completed processing.
The Celtics beat the Knicks at Madison Sq. Backyard for the fourth time this season, a 119–117 additional time heartbreaker that doubled as Boston’s season sweep. The Knicks performed their greatest sport of the 4, which is both encouraging or regarding relying in your lens — as a result of even with a totally wholesome roster, they nonetheless got here up quick.
Let’s kind by means of the great, the unhealthy and the “are we serious with this again?”
ABSOLUTELY HATED: Knicks (once more) fail to take the temperature
Situational consciousness issues — and the Knicks lack it in obtrusive moments.
Porziņģis torched his former staff for 34 factors, his highest whole since being traded for Dennis Smith Jr. and picks. He hit eight threes — most of them walk-ins — whereas punishing the very same drop protection New York utilized in its earlier three losses to Boston. That scheme asks the large to sag into the paint after a display, which is mindless in opposition to a 7-3 sniper whose total worth proposition is pick-and-pop.
Nevertheless it’s not simply KP. And it’s not simply stretch fives. It is a development. San Antonio’s Sandro Mamukelashvili had a profession night time as a result of the Knicks by no means put a physique on the recent hand. Aaron Wiggins made them pay in OKC, too. Payton Pritchard dropped 25 off the bench in an earlier matchup in opposition to Boston. The frequent denominator? No person learn the temperature. No person adjusted to the recent hand.
A few of it’s philosophical. The Knicks’ scheme is constructed to guard the paint, which leaves them susceptible to pop threats. However too typically, it’s not simply scheme — it’s sleepwalking. The perfect groups punish you for each nap. Boston’s finished it 4 occasions. The priority is whether or not others will comply with go well with when the lights get brighter.
LIKED MOST: The Aggressive KAT
Boston put a wing on Karl-Anthony Cities, and Cities went full predator mode. He posted up 9 occasions, scored on 5 of seven put up makes an attempt and recorded 22 first-half factors.
So what did the Knicks do within the third quarter? They went away from him. Two shot makes an attempt, oftentimes accomplished disconnected from the continuing motion with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart.
Coincidentally, the third quarter was additionally when the Celtics turned the sport into their favor.
Cities confirmed one thing within the first half in opposition to Boston: That there’s extra canine on this KAT than he’s been given credit score. It’s time for the Knicks to take the leash off their hound, particularly if opponents are going to dare him to chunk — although it’s arduous to gloss over his ill-advised fadeaway in additional time with the smaller Jrue Vacation guarding him.
INDIFFERENT: Tatum’s Shot-Making
May the Knicks have been extra aggressive defending Boston’s All-World scorer? Positive. However this isn’t a online game. The NBA is stuffed with gamers who hit unimaginable pictures. Tatum lives in that neighborhood — high ground, doorman, skyline view.
He completed with 32 factors on 50% taking pictures and hit a back-breaking step-back three over OG Anunoby to pressure additional time. Typically elite offense simply wins. This was a kind of occasions.
However context issues. The Knicks didn’t simply lose to Tatum’s greatness — they enabled it. Too typically, they let him stroll into rhythm threes, casually navigating screens in opposition to drop protection with out ever being picked up excessive. You’re not stopping Tatum. But when you may make his bread more durable to butter, possibly these powerful fall-aways don’t discover the basket.
LIKED: Anunoby’s Response to a Chilly Night time
Anunoby’s shot wasn’t falling (0-of-5 from deep), and he touched the ball simply 45 occasions — the fewest of any Knicks starter. However he didn’t let that have an effect on the opposite components of his sport. He defended. He rebounded. He attacked. He bodied up Tatum throughout useless balls simply to let him know he was there.
Nonetheless, the Knicks missed him extensive open too many occasions, which is unacceptable for a participant who averaged the identical quantity over factors per contact throughout Brunson’s absence as MVP front-runner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Hat’s off to Anunoby for retaining his effort excessive regardless of rightful frustration on the offensive finish.
DISLIKED: Extra Boston Three-Level Carnage
Boston hit 19 threes — and admittedly, it felt like extra. They made 29 in opposition to New York on Opening Night time. Then one other 37 mixed in two February conferences. That’s 85 threes in 4 video games in opposition to the Knicks.
It wasn’t simply pick-and-pop. It was transition. Offensive rebounds. Drive-swing-swing. If defending the three-point line is a playoff precedence, this was an enormous purple flag.
INDIFFERENT: The Rotation Dialog
Tom Thibodeau performed extra guys than Joe Mazzulla. That wasn’t the problem. Mazzulla performed his bench 77 minutes. Thibs gave his simply 58. Margins matter, and the Celtics squeezed extra out of theirs. Treasured Achiuwa and Delon Wright each logged DNP’s in opposition to Boston on Tuesday. Wright made an impression throughout Brunson’s absence and might be an choice for minutes.
DISLIKED: The Passive KAT
Three three-point makes an attempt. One make.
Cities is taking pictures 42.3% from deep — a top-10 mark amongst certified gamers. However he doesn’t rank within the high 100 in makes an attempt per sport, and he’s not even top-10 amongst facilities in quantity regardless of being one of the crucial correct taking pictures bigs within the sport.
Quantity issues — particularly when your contact is that this pure. If Cities desires to have nights the place he hits six, seven, eight threes, he has to hunt them. Take 10. Let it fly. The Knicks can’t afford to depart that a lot firepower on the desk in a sport this shut — particularly in opposition to a staff constructed to bury you from past the arc.
LIKED: Brunson, Again in Rhythm
After shaking off rust in opposition to Phoenix, Brunson regarded like himself once more: 27 factors, 10 assists, and 5 threes — a number of of them after dropping Vacation or foot-working his manner into the paint.
He regarded explosive.
He regarded assured.
He regarded just like the captain.
If there’s one factor to really feel nice about heading towards the postseason, it’s {that a} participant who missed a month of motion appears like his previous self two video games in.
DISLIKED: The Disappearing Offense Round Him
Brunson touched the ball 106 occasions. Bridges and Anunoby mixed for fewer. That’s not an issue in itself — he’s the star. However it’s when these two mix to shoot 11-of-28 and 2-of-11 from three.
With Wright in on the level whereas Brunson was out, the ball moved. With Brunson again, it caught: He averaged 5 dribbles per contact and had the ball in his palms for 9.9 of the 38.4 minutes he performed on Tuesday
That doesn’t imply the reply is much less Brunson. It simply means the remainder of the staff has to maintain transferring, too.
There was far an excessive amount of ball watching occurring for a staff whose supplemental stars have confirmed they’ll play the primary position, too.
DISLIKED: Crunch Time Execution
Bridges fumbled the inbounds cross. Brunson threw one away in additional time. Hart missed a game-winner on the buzzer in regulation when, in actuality, it shouldn’t have been his shot to start with.
It’s uncommon to see this staff — a bunch identified for closing video games — lose composure late. However that’s what occurred. In opposition to Boston, these errors get punished.
They might be punished within the first spherical in opposition to a pointy Detroit Pistons staff, too, if the Knicks don’t get their home so as earlier than the playoffs.
