Return to the Garden
Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics head back to MSG tonight.
Tonight, we get a preview of what could be this year’s Eastern Conference Finals.
The Boston Celtics vs. the New York Knicks.
A revenge game for Jayson Tatum, who suffered a brutal Achilles injury the last time he stepped foot in Madison Square Garden.
“I’m not like, thrilled, to go back and play there,” Tatum recently said. “Last time I played there, obviously, it was a traumatic experience for me. Obviously, I knew at some point I would have to get over that hurdle and play there again. So, it’s going to have to be this Thursday. But it’s not like I’m thrilled about it. But it’s part of it. I decided to come back and play, so I’m not necessarily skipping certain games. I can’t play back-to-backs right now, but I decided to come back and play, so it’s just another game on the schedule.”
A chance for the Celtics to even their season series against Mike Brown’s team (currently 2-1 for the Knicks).
An opportunity to secure the last regular-season game between these two rosters before the postseason gets underway.
And an opportunity to test whether the Knicks really are ready to emerge as the best team in the Eastern Conference.
A lot has been said about this Knicks team in recent weeks. Yet, the fact remains that they’re 10-5 in their last 15 outings and will be coming into tonight’s game on the back of a three-game winning streak, albeit against the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies.
That right there — the quality of teams New York has beaten over the last 15 games — has people questioning whether they can do the same against higher-level competition.
It’s worth noting that the five losses New York has suffered over the last 15 games all came against winning teams.
They’ve lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Charlotte Hornets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets.
It seems like, at least lately, the Knicks fold when faced with opponents capable of hitting back when they’ve been caught with a haymaker.
The Celtics will certainly hit back. They’ve been doing it all season.
Still, don’t let the Knicks fool you, their recent production might have slipped, but they’re still 27-22 against opponents with a .500 or better record.
They’re capable of winning tough games — at least for stretches.
Boston, on the other hand, has won 60% of its outings against .500 or better opponents, going a clean 30-20 heading into tonight.
That’s a testament to the consistency across the roster this season, and their willingness to adjust offensively based on ever-changing factors — such as shot variance and defensive schemes.
Talking of defensive schemes, Boston’s biggest defensive battle will come on the perimeter. Joe Mazzulla’s team gives up more three-point attempts than any other team in the NBA, and sits 16th in three-point defense.
That’s by design. The Celtics give up the fewest attempts at the rim, so the perimeter becomes the most valuable shot on the floor.
The problem? New York can capitalize. They’re shooting 37.6% from deep this season.
However…
42% of the Knicks’ threes come from the corner — a shot Boston works to eliminate, allowing just 9.2% of opponents three-point attempts from that area.
If Boston can shut down New York’s corner threes and force them to live on the wings and above the break, they should give themselves a good shot of stifling Mike Brown’s preferred offense, at least in terms of three-point shot creation.
From there, it becomes a battle of who blinks first to make an adjustment and how quickly the other side can adapt.
The Celtics will face their own battle when trying to break down the Knicks defense.
