Celtics-Knicks Preview

By KATE HEDLIN
Posted Dec 25 2011 11:43AM

The Boston Celtics are the four-time defending Atlantic Division champions, but the New York Knicks are hoping their own version of the "Big Three" is ready to end that reign.

The longtime rivals don't have to wait long to start battling for supremacy in the division as they open the season at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

Boston won its fourth consecutive division title following a 56-26 regular season. The Celtics swept New York out of the first round of the playoffs before losing in five games to Miami.

Boston also swept the four-game regular season series.

Despite not winning one game between the two, the Knicks believe talent-wise they can compete with Boston, having added Tyson Chandler to a team that already included forwards Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.

Chandler brings some needed defensive energy to New York. The Knicks, who went 42-40 last season, were 28th in the league in scoring defense, giving up 105.7 points per game.

While coach Mike D'Antoni has long been known for his high-scoring offenses, the team is preaching defense entering the new season.

"I feel like if we're as committed as we say we are to winning a championship and really going after that dream, then we'll be committed on the defensive end, because that's the only way you can get it done," said Chandler, who averaged 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds last season to help Dallas win a championship.

Maybe no team stresses defense more than Boston, which gave up a league-low 91.1 points per game last season.

However, New York may be in good position to overtake Boston with Chandler joining Stoudemire and Anthony to provide the Knicks with arguably the league's most talented frontcourt.

Anthony concedes that comparisons could be made to the way this New York squad is built and the way Boston's "Big Three" of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen won an NBA championship in 2008.

"We have a chance to do some big things," he said. "Boston did a great job of guys coming together at the right time in their careers. A lot of things weren't going their way, but they came together as one and they won a championship."

Anthony averaged 26.3 points in 27 games for the Knicks after his trade from Denver. He underwent offseason surgeries on his left knee and elbow.

Stoudemire dealt with back issues last season but was still a force, averaging 25.3 points and 8.2 rebounds. A tight NBA schedule could be tough on him, but he said the long lockout may help.

"It was a blessing in disguise," Stoudemire said. "A great opportunity to heal, get stronger. ... I feel like a beast."

The longer offseason may benefit the aging Celtics early on, but much continues to be made about their ability to compete long term with Allen, age 36, Garnett, 35, and Pierce, 34.

Pierce will miss the opener with a nagging heel injury but hopes to return for Tuesday's game against Miami, though coach Doc Rivers said his star forward may come off the bench. Sasha Pavlovic will start in Pierce's place Sunday.

There were already concerns about Boston's depth even before Pierce's injury. Jeff Green, who played in 26 games for the Celtics last season following a trade from Oklahoma City, will miss the season to repair an aortic aneurysm. He averaged 9.8 points and 3.3 rebounds for Boston.

Rivers has said he'll have to monitor minutes for his veterans, perhaps none moreso than Garnett.

"We're all figuring it out. It's going to be a period where everybody's adjusting," Garnett said. "This year will test everybody's endurance and their willingness."

While much has been made about the Celtics' age, their biggest question mark may be Rajon Rondo.

Rondo averaged 10.6 points and 11.2 assists last season. Rumors had Boston looking at trading him to New Orleans for Chris Paul, who eventually ended up with the Los Angeles Clippers.

He said the trade talks don't provide him with additional motivation to dissuade doubters.

"I'm already fueled up," Rondo said. "This is part of the process. I'm just trying to be a better player."

Rondo averaged 16.7 assists in three meetings with New York last season.

The Celtics, who have won 20 of 22 against the Knicks including playoffs, are playing on Christmas Day for the fourth straight year. They are 1-2.

"Being at Madison Square Garden on Christmas, it's pretty exciting," Garnett said.

Knicks edge Celtics 106-104 on Anthony foul shots

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Posted Dec 25 2011 9:42PM

NEW YORK (AP) Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks know it will never be easy against the Celtics.

Not beating them in one game, and certainly not beating them for a division title.

But pulling out the kind of nail biter that's long gone Boston's way in this rivalry only reinforced the Knicks' belief that they can do it - and even the Celtics see a difference.

Anthony scored 37 points, including a pair of free throws with the game tied and 16 seconds left, and New York survived a seesaw season opener Sunday to edge the Celtics 106-104.

"Most importantly for us, as a new team, we showed something," Anthony said. "We came together as a team. Even when we got down, there wasn't no frowns. Nobody was down. Mentally everybody was still up about it, and we willed our way to this win."

Amare Stoudemire added 21 points and Toney Douglas had 19 for the Knicks, who led by 17 in the first half, trailed by 10 in the fourth quarter, then pulled out a thrilling Christmas victory in the delayed opener to the 2011-12 season. Tyson Chandler blocked six shots in his Knicks debut.

Rajon Rondo had 31 points and 13 assists, nearly leading the Celtics back without an injured Paul Pierce. But Kevin Garnett missed a jumper just before the buzzer, the kind of shot Boston always seems to make against the Knicks.

"They seem to have a little swag and confidence behind them," Garnett said. "It's good for the city. It's good for the Knicks. I'm going to see how consistent they are with that, but for the most part Carmelo played really well."

Brandon Bass had 20 points and 11 rebounds in his Celtics debut, and Ray Allen added 20 points.

Garnett finished with 15 points. He and Allen had a sleepy Christmas start, with Rondo keeping the Celtics in the game until they got going in the second half.

"I thought we were as soft as you could be in the first quarter and then I thought we joined in to the 2011-12 season, and from that point on I was pretty happy with the way we played," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "I thought we competed well."

But it wasn't enough against the Knicks, who withstood a costly knee injury to first-round pick Iman Shumpert to beat the team that swept them out of the first round of last season's playoffs. Shumpert will miss two to four weeks with a sprained right knee ligament.

Pierce has a bruised right heel but hopes he can return Tuesday when the Celtics visit the Miami Heat.

Even without him, the Celtics fought back to tie it at 69 on Rondo's layup midway through the third quarter. They surged ahead by eight going into the final period after Bass scored the final six points, then extended it to 89-79 on Bass' jumper to open the fourth.

Anthony, who scored 20 in the second half, tied the game at 100 on a 3-pointer with 3:25 to play. It stayed tight until he was fouled on a drive with 16.3 seconds left, making both for a 106-104 lead. Rondo grabbed the rebound of Marquis Daniels' potential go-ahead 3-pointer to give the Celtics a final chance, but Garnett was off on his jumper, then appeared to shove the Knicks' Bill Walker away.

Coming off their first winning season in a decade, the Knicks added a defensive presence by signing Chandler away from the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks and have loftier expectations than they've seen in years. The original NBA schedule had them opening against Miami, but instead they got a chance to see if they've closed the gap against Boston.

"I think we wanted to come out and set the tone early," Stoudemire said. "It's a long year but this game was very important for us to get off to a great start."

Though the Celtics won all eight meetings last season, the Knicks have been listed some places as the favorites in the Atlantic Division, which the Celtics have ruled since their Big Three came together in 2007.

"Everybody knows how optimism kicks in before the season starts, but then once reality sets in after the first month of the season, we'll see," Pierce said before the game. "But it's definitely a possibility. I mean, they have the talent, but we have the talent, too."

But the Knicks will be without newcomer Baron Davis for a few weeks because of a herniated disc in his back, and now Shumpert is out, leaving little depth in the backcourt.

The Knicks led 49-32 with 7 1/2 minutes left in the first half before the Celtics cut it to 62-52 at halftime.

The first game since renovations began at Madison Square Garden included the usual cast of celebrities such as Alicia Keys, Chris Rock and John McEnroe, and some new confusion, as at least one Celtics player had to ask how to get to the court from the new visitors' locker room.

Notes: Rivers said Pierce may come off the bench when he does return, since he's had only one practice so far. ... The Knicks were without Mike Bibby, who dressed but didn't play because of a sore back. Reserve Jared Jeffries was lost during the game to a sore right calf and will miss a week or two. ... Stoudemire provided pregame breakfast to MSG staff in appreciation of the support in his first season with the team.

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Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney

Celtics-Knicks Notebook

By Joshua Newman, for NBA.com
Posted Sunday December 25, 2011 4:21PM

THE FACTS: Carmelo Anthony scored 17 of his game-high 37 points in the fourth quarter to go along with eight rebounds as the Knicks overcame an 8-point deficit after three quarters to defeat the Celtics, 106-104, in front of a Christmas Day sellout crowd of 19,763 at Madison Square Garden. Anthony hit two free throws with 16.3 seconds left to cap the scoring. The Syracuse University product was one of four Knicks in double figures as Amar'e Stoudemire finished with 21 points, Toney Douglas had 19 and rookie Iman Shumpert had 11.

QUOTABLE: "It's gonna be a rivalry now because I think we can get up to the same level they are. It's gonna be knockdown, drag out and there's gonna be some tempers, but hopefully they'll control themselves."
-- Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni when asked about a minor post-buzzer incident on the court between Bill Walker and Kevin Garnett.

THE STAT: Anthony found foul trouble during the third quarter when the Knicks, once ahead by 17, trailed by as many as 8 at different points of the period. In playing the entire fourth quarter with four fouls, Anthony was outstanding in shooting 4-for-5 from the floor and 7-for-8 from the free throw line to carry the Knicks home.

TURNING POINT: The Knicks climbed their way out of that 8-point hole in the fourth quarter behind Anthony and finally found some daylight when he hit his fourth 3-pointer to tie the game at 100 with 3:25 to play as the game remained tight the rest of the way. The tie score represented the first time it had been that way since it was 69-69 with 6:09 to play in the first quarter.

QUOTABLE II: "The energy was out the roof. The fans were so ready for the season because of the long offseason and because of our new acquisitions. Everyone was behind us and that was a great start for the team and the fans."
-- Stoudemire on his second Knicks home-opener.

HOT: Rajon Rondo exploited a serious deficiency for the Knicks right now in the backcourt. Whether it was Douglas or Shumpert guarding him, he did pretty much whatever he wanted in scoring 31 points and dishing out 13 assists. The fifth-year pro from the University of Kentucky, who has been knocked for his lack of a jump shot, finished 11-for-19 from the field.

NOT: Newly-acquired free-agent center Tyson Chandler was brought to the Knicks to rebound and help defend the rim. He did help defend the rim by blocking six shots, but the rebounding will need to be addressed. The 7-foot-1 Chandler pulled in just one rebound in the first half and finished with only three for the game. Chandler, who helped the Dallas Mavericks win their first NBA title last June, is coming off a season in which he averaged 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.

INSIDE THE ARENA: Comedian Chris Rock, Tennis legend John McEnroe, New York Liberty center Kia Vaughn, comedian Tracy Morgan and married hip-hop couple Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz all sat courtside.

ROOKIE WATCH: Shumpert may eventually endear himself to Knicks fans as a speedy, scoring point guard, but he will have better days than Christmas. The ex-Georgia Tech star scored 11 points and shot just 3-for-13 from the field before leaving for the game early in the third quarter with a sprained MCL. The Knicks announced after the game that he is expected to miss at least two weeks and possibly up to a month.

NOTABLE: The Knicks are a mainstay on Christmas Day as the win moves the team to 22-25 on the holiday. The Knicks also moved to 39-27 in season openers and 34-32 in home-openers.

UP NEXT: For the Knicks, Wednesday @ Golden State, Thursday @ Lakers, Saturday at Sacramento. For the Celtics, Tuesday @ Heat. Wednesday @ Hornets, Friday vs. Pistons.

• Celtics: Pierce, Pietrus
• Knicks: Davis

• Celtics: Allen, O'Neal, Pavlovic
• Knicks: Chandler, Douglas, Stoudemire

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Officials: #17 Joe Crawford, #33 Zach Zarba, #68 Marat Kogut
• Attendance: 19763
• Duration: 2:47