Celtics-Knicks Preview

By JUSTIN EINHORN
Posted Apr 16 2012 9:22PM

After the Boston Celtics swept the New York Knicks out of last year's playoffs, each meeting this season has gone down to the wire.

It doesn't appear the Atlantic Division race will.

These rivals close their season series Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, with Boston possibly welcoming back its Big 3 while key injuries leave the Knicks relying heavily on Carmelo Anthony.

The Celtics (36-25) were four games back of first place and below .500 at the All-Star break, but they can clinch a fifth straight division title if they beat the Knicks and Philadelphia loses at home to Indiana.

A 13-4 record over the past four weeks saw Boston blow by the 76ers and hold off New York, which is 13-5 since interim coach Mike Woodson took over for Mike D'Antoni.

Another Knicks victory would split this season series and prevent the Celtics from winning it for the first time since 2003-04. The first two matchups were decided by two points and the last one went to overtime, with Boston winning 115-111 on March 4 as Rajon Rondo had 18 points, 20 assists and a career-high 17 rebounds.

Rondo had another big game Sunday with 20 points and 16 assists in a 94-82 win at Charlotte, helping make up for the absences of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

"Having a player like that on your team just kind of keeps you going," guard Avery Bradley said of Rondo, who has 22 consecutive double-digit assist games.

With the Celtics playing on a third straight day, Pierce and Garnett were left back in the New York area to rest - the team won at New Jersey the previous night. Pierce had jammed his big left toe but will play Tuesday, and Allen also could be ready after missing four games and 10 of 15 with a sore ankle.

"Anybody who needs (time off), if we think it will make them better for the playoffs, then yeah, we'll rest them," coach Doc Rivers said.

Woodson doesn't have the same luxury with his Knicks (31-29) fighting just to make the playoffs, two games ahead of ninth-place Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference.

Anthony is averaging 31.7 points in seven games this month and shooting 50.9 percent - he's at a career-low 42.5 for the season.

He scored 42 against Miami on Sunday but was held to four in the fourth quarter as the Knicks lost 93-85, ending their nine-game home winning streak.

"When a guy gets it going, you can look back and if he missed a few shots, you can say 'did we get too dependent,' but it's almost like when he gets the ball you expect him to make every one," forward Steve Novak said. "So I don't think we'll change that."

That's especially true with Amare Stoudemire (back) likely to miss a 12th straight game, and Jeremy Lin (knee) not returning before the playoffs.

A new injury concern popped up Sunday when Tyson Chandler hurt his knee in the third quarter. He appeared to be slowed in the fourth but hopes to play Tuesday.

"I really couldn't move when I got out there," Chandler said. "I didn't have much strength on it."

His potential absence would leave the lane freer for Rondo, who has averaged 13.8 assists in the last 10 meetings with New York - including last April's first-round sweep. He had 31 points and 13 assists at MSG on Christmas but was outdone by Anthony's 37 points as the Knicks won 106-104.

Pierce missed that matchup with a bruised heel but has scored at least 30 in each of the last two. The Celtics won both of those games and have taken 22 of 25 versus New York including the playoff sweep.

Starting with that series, Allen is 24 of 39 from 3-point range against the Knicks.

Anthony has triple-double, Knicks rout Celtics

By BRIAN MAHONEY
Posted Apr 18 2012 3:51AM

NEW YORK (AP) As the Celtics staggered to the locker room after getting hit by an NBA record-tying 3-point assault, the halftime musical selection perfectly summed up how they must have felt.

It was "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" - and Carmelo Anthony and two sharpshooting subs sure did.

Anthony had 35 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his second career triple-double, and the New York Knicks made 19 3-pointers to keep alive their Atlantic Division title hopes with a 118-110 victory over Boston on Tuesday night.

JR Smith and Steve Novak both scored 25 points for the Knicks, who overcame a season-high 43 points from Paul Pierce and moved into sole possession of seventh place in the Eastern Conference while trimming Boston's division lead to 3 1/2 games.

Novak hit eight 3s in the highest-scoring game of his career. Smith made all seven of his 3s in the first half, equaling a team record.

"Our bench was great tonight," Anthony said. "Novak and JR, them guys combined for 50 points off the bench. When they get hot like that, it's hard to deal with."

The Celtics would have wrapped up their fifth straight Atlantic title with a victory. Instead, the Knicks stunned them with a record-tying 14 3-pointers in a 72-point first half and equaled their season high by finishing 19 of 32 behind the arc. They improved to 14-5 under interim coach Mike Woodson.

Tyson Chandler had 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting for the Knicks, who finished one short of their franchise record for 3s, set last season.

"We didn't defend the 3 at all tonight," Pierce said. "We dug ourselves a huge hole that we couldn't climb out of."

Kevin Garnett scored 20 points for the Celtics, who fell out of a three-way tie for fourth in the East with Atlanta and Orlando. Rajon Rondo had 13 points and 13 assists.

The Celtics watched Anthony score 42 points in a losing effort against Miami on Sunday and apparently overreacted to it, trying so hard to get the ball out of his hands that they didn't pay enough attention to his supporting cast.

"We panicked," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "We trapped too early. We were doing things that we shouldn't have done. It happens. We talked about it at halftime. I thought we were better at it and then we did it again in the fourth quarter out of nowhere. Good lesson though. I told our guys it was a really good lesson for us: Don't overreact to one great player and I thought we did that."

Playing without the injured Ray Allen, the Celtics got a brief scare in the third quarter when Rondo landed hard on his back going for a rebound and remained on the court for a few minutes while being attended to before remaining in the game.

Woodson has repeatedly said the division title was his goal, even though the Knicks' 18-24 record when he took over always made that unlikely. Rivers said he's never talked to the Celtics about winning a division title or congratulated them for doing so, but there's no doubt it's worth having this season. Division winners are guaranteed to be seeded no worse than No. 4, avoiding Chicago or Miami until at least the second round.

Allen missed his fifth straight game when he felt pain in his right ankle Tuesday morning. He had gone through the morning shootaround and Rivers assumed he was set to play before the pain returned. Neither was sure if Allen would play Wednesday against Orlando.

Allen, the NBA's career leader in 3-pointers made, would have fit in perfectly in this game.

The Celtics jumped to an 8-2 lead, but the rest of the first half belonged to the Knicks. New York scored the final 10 points of the first quarter, going up 32-26 behind 12 points from Anthony and 63 percent shooting.

The Knicks then scored eight straight points to open the second quarter, capping an 18-0 run when Smith's 3-pointer made it 40-26 with 9:16 left. Consecutive 3s by Mike Bibby and Smith later made it 54-35 midway through the second, and the lead reached 20 points when Novak was fouled while making a 25-footer, falling backward out of bounds and into the arms of Woodson - the only time anyone got near a Knicks shooter in the half.

Novak hit two more before halftime, the Knicks taking a 72-53 lead into the locker room. He is shooting an NBA-best 47.2 percent from behind the arc.

"He's the best 3-point shooter in our league by far. I mean it's not even close," Smith said. "The guy's shooting 50-something percent from 3, so people are starting to catch onto it but not fast enough."

Pierce, who was 17 of 18 from the free throw line, had 17 points in the third quarter to get the Celtics back into it, and the Knicks led 96-84 after three.

The Celtics finally got within single digits late in the game, with Pierce scoring four straight to cut it to 112-106 with 3:07 left. But Novak hit two 3-pointers around a jumper by Rondo, putting it away at 118-108.

Notes: Woodson said Amare Stoudemire could return Friday at Cleveland. He hasn't played since March 24 because of a bulging disk in his back. ... The Celtics played without swingman Mickael Pietrus, who was sent back to Boston with knee pain that Rivers assumed was caused by playing on three straight nights after a lengthy absence with a head injury. ... The Knicks play their next three on the road and have just one home game remaining, next Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers. ... The Celtics finished 1-6 this season on the road against division rivals. ... Milwaukee also hit 14 3-pointers in a half in 2006.

Notebook: Knicks 118, Celtics 110

Posted Tuesday April 17, 2012 11:27PM

By Adam Zagoria, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Carmelo Anthony notched his second career triple-double with 35 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, J.R. Smith had a season-high of 25 points and Steve Novak tallied a career-high 25 as the Knicks beat the Atlantic Division-leading Boston Celtics 118-110 at Madison Square Garden.

Paul Pierce led five Celtics starters in double-figures with a season-best 43 points.

Smith and Novak went a combined 15-for-20 from beyond the arc for the Knicks, who were 19-for-31 from deep in the game (59 percent). The NBA record for 3-pointers in a game is 23.

Tyson Chandler had 20 points and five boards for the Knicks.

Rajon Rondo added 13 points and 13 assists for Boston.

The Knicks (32-29) moved to a game ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers for the No. 7 seed in the East and to within three back of the Celtics (36-26) in the loss column with five games to play.

QUOTABLE: "I had nine and nine before. I been missing it throughout my whole career but tonight coming in a game like this, it wasn't me. It was Novak and J.R. and them guys making their shots. If they wouldn't have made the shots, then I wouldn't have had the triple-double."
-- Anthony

THE STAT: The NBA record for individual 3s in a game is 12 (Kobe Bryant and Donyell Marshall) and eight in a half, including twice by Smith. Smith went 7-for-9 in the first half for 21 points off the bench. The Knicks record for 3s in a game is nine shared by Toney Douglas, Latrell Sprewell and John Starks.

THE STAT II: The Knicks bench outscored the Celtics bench 39-0 in the first half en route to a 72-53 advantage. For the game, the Knicks reserves outscored the Celtics reserves 55-2 with Keyon Dooling scoring Boston's lone basket.

TURNING POINT: The Knicks went 11-for-15 from deep in the second quarter, when they outscored Boston 40-27.

QUOTABLE II: "When you got two guys who can come in and make shots that puts a lot of pressure on opposing teams. I need J.R. to be a guy that comes in off the bench and scores buckets and Novak as well."
-- Knicks coach Mike Woodson

WHO'S HOT: Anthony remains one of the hottest players in the NBA. He entered averaging 32.8 points over his last five games, which included two 40+-point outings.

WHO'S NOT: Knicks shooting guard Landry Fields entered averaging 7.6 points in his last five outings. After going for two points in this one, Fields has tallied 10 total points in his last three games.

QUOTABLE III: "Wasn't much defense tonight on both parts, but it was nice to see Novak and J.R. have the games that they had."
-- Woodson

NOTABLE: The Celtics were without Ray Allen (sore right ankle).

NOTABLE II: Amar'e Stoudemire is targeting a return from his bulging disc later this week, possibly Friday at Cleveland. "I'll be back soon, definitely have to get some games under my belt before the playoffs, so there's a little hint," he said before the game. Should Stoudemire return Friday, it would give him four regular-season games to get comfortable with an offense that has flourished in his absence.

QUOTABLE IV: "'Melo I think now is settling in. He's playing like we all thought he could play. It's beautiful to watch him play because he's doing a lot of things on both sides of the floor. He's making players around him better and it's helping us win and that's what the good players do."
-- Woodson

INSIDE THE ARENA: Fat Joe sat courtside.

UP NEXT: For the Knicks, Wednesday @ New Jersey, Friday @ Cleveland, Sunday @ Atlanta. For the Celtics, Wednesday vs. Orlando, Friday @ Atlanta, Tuesday vs. Miami.

• Celtics: O'Neal, Pietrus
• Knicks: Lin, Stoudemire

• Celtics: Bass
• Knicks: Anthony

• Lead Changes: 3
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• Officials: #43 Dan Crawford, #6 Tony Brown, #26 Pat Fraher
• Attendance: 19763
• Duration: 2:30