2025 NBA PLAYOFFS East Semifinals: #2 Boston Celtics vs #3 New York Knicks (NYK leads 1-0)

[iggymcfrack]

They have a worse SRS than any of those teams except for Indiana and the Pacers have been much better in the second half of the season with Nembhard healthy. In Round 1, the Knicks played a team that was much worse than any of those teams and they outscored them by 1.3 PPG. Pacers out scored a similar opponent by 7.3 PPG in the first round. It’s indexing ridiculously hard on vibes to take the Knicks over the Clippers with Kawhi, the Warriors with Butler, or the Nuggets with Jokic.

You know Brunson missed 15 games towards the end of the season, right? Before he went down, the Knicks were top 6 in net rating and a top 5 record in the league. Saying they’re on par or better than a majority of playoff teams not named the Thunder/Celtics/Cavs is not ridiculous.

The Knicks had a point differential of +72 in the 16 games Brunson missed for an average of +4.5 per game. That’s actually slightly better than their season average of +4.1. Other teams have had more impactful injuries.

[bisme37]

[LethalRangee]

So glad TNT is getting dropped after this season, the broadcast reducing the noise made in the arenas irk me so much especially during playoffs.

[cgf]

They have a worse SRS than any of those teams except for Indiana and the Pacers have been much better in the second half of the season with Nembhard healthy. In Round 1, the Knicks played a team that was much worse than any of those teams and they outscored them by 1.3 PPG. Pacers out scored a similar opponent by 7.3 PPG in the first round. It’s indexing ridiculously hard on vibes to take the Knicks over the Clippers with Kawhi, the Warriors with Butler, or the Nuggets with Jokic.

When games start being decided by srs, we can talk about that instead of the results on the court. Until then Denver doesn’t have enough around Jokic to hang with us and GSW is just too small to beat us with Towns & Brunson healthy. Clippers have the size & supporting cast, but in 2025 I’m taking Brunson over Kawhi in crunchtime

And Milwaukee was much worse than Detroit or Orlando this season, that’s why everyone in the east except Cleveland wanted to play them in round one. People pay too much attention to past accomplishments with teams that have a big name. Giannis is awesome but I was begging to play the Bucks over the Pistons before the seedings were set.

PS what did srs have to say about LA - MIN? Cause that seemed like an obvious win for the wolves that a lot of folks got wrong because they ignored how the two teams would actually matchup.

So if every what-if scenario goes New York's way, they may end up being better than all of those others? Got it.

What what-if scenarios went our way? Our best player wasn’t injured? Yeah, that’s a crazy condition to include…if we played any of those western conference teams right now other than OKC or Minny, we would beat them comfortably.

[cgf]

I just don't see a way for the Knicks to defend the Celtics well enough for this to be close. There is nowhere to hide subpar defenders against the Celtics and the Knicks need to play Brunson and KAT huge minutes to be able to score.

Optimistic Knicks fan here, but Towns actually defended well in that Pistons series, especially in crunchtime, and is generally good when he's not asked to protect the rim, like he isn't in our double big lineups next to Robinson. Though Brunson's limited by his size, he's smart & feisty; so Jalen should be fine guarding Holiday or Pritchard as long as we can keep OG & Bridges on Tatum & Brown.

But that's the thing, you can't really keep Brunson away from Tatum and Brown unless you are willing to live with the Celtics shooting wide open 3s all series. That's what makes Boston so hard to defend.

We did the last time we played them, OG was glued to Tatum all night

[cgf]

Knicks are the weakest team left in the playoffs. Hard to see them putting up much of a challenge for the defending champs. I’d say Celtics in 5, but I also wouldn’t be surprised with a sweep if Boston can ratchet up their intensity from the last round now that things are getting more serious.

…Knicks are better than GSW, HOU, LAC, DEN, IND, and on par with Minny…

Your team has a lot to prove. I don't think anyone outside New York is seriously considering them a threat to beat the Celtics. We shall see what happens, but I'm expecting an ez sweep.

I’m not picking us to win, but I think people expecting an easy sweep because of the first two games are in for a surprise. Both 2nd round series in the east will be a lot more competitive than some folks expect them to be.

[robbie84]

Well it's the series we've been bracing for months and you've gotta be nervous against the defending champs...and they'll probably handle us in 6 or 7...but it's hard not to be excited to see how we stack up with our full top 7 healthy, proper rest, and Thibs pulling out all of the stops. Think both 2nd round series in the east will surprise some people, the way ORL / DET / IND surprised folks in round one.

That penultimate game was close til we gassed even without Mitch. While that final RS game was just one of the better games of the season, and both teams should be fitter than they were for that one...Robinson in better shape, Karl / OG / Hart having gotten to rest their knicks, plus Horford being back on the court for Boston and Boston's knee being in better shape...so hopefully the basketball is even better, only with a slightly different final result

The Knicks are thoroughly outmatched in every single category. And the Celtics will get Holiday back. It's just a really good, really deep Celtics team that just won a championship.
Basically the Celtics, Cavs and obviously the Thunder are in their own tier this season.

[VINO 24]

Tatum is the best player in the playoffs rn. Celts in 4 or 5

[Fat]

Tatum is the best player in the playoffs rn. Celts in 4 or 5

Brunson clears Tatum

Knicks in 4

[VINO 24]

Tatum is the best player in the playoffs rn. Celts in 4 or 5

Brunson clears Tatum

Knicks in 4

Brunson amazing game last game, but his fishing for fouls against bostons elite perimete defense idk. Tatum is premiere on both ends and he’s hitting his peak. Game is slow motion for him. Not even a Celtics fan, but super jealous of what they got there

[ryan in Maine]

Jalen Brunson and what army

[bisme37]

Celtics health updates... Jrue has gone through full practice and the hammy feels good. Brown says his knee is tending toward 100% by start of the series. And Tatum's wrist is fine (he's actually been shooting better since the injury lol). Seems like the C's will be good to go.

[Caneman786]

Knicks in 5 let's go Knicks.

Someone needs to eliminate the most fraudulent "champions" in the history of the game.

In reality I don't think the Knicks have it in them, but you never know.

[bronxknicksfan1]

They have a worse SRS than any of those teams except for Indiana and the Pacers have been much better in the second half of the season with Nembhard healthy. In Round 1, the Knicks played a team that was much worse than any of those teams and they outscored them by 1.3 PPG. Pacers out scored a similar opponent by 7.3 PPG in the first round. It’s indexing ridiculously hard on vibes to take the Knicks over the Clippers with Kawhi, the Warriors with Butler, or the Nuggets with Jokic.

You know Brunson missed 15 games towards the end of the season, right? Before he went down, the Knicks were top 6 in net rating and a top 5 record in the league. Saying they’re on par or better than a majority of playoff teams not named the Thunder/Celtics/Cavs is not ridiculous.

The Knicks had a point differential of +72 in the 16 games Brunson missed for an average of +4.5 per game. That’s actually slightly better than their season average of +4.1. Other teams have had more impactful injuries.

More impactful than the best player on the team going down? Nembhard, the Pacers 4th best player, makes the Pacers much better but losing Brunson doesn’t make the Knicks much worse? Trying to understand the logic of that one.

[cgf]

You know Brunson missed 15 games towards the end of the season, right? Before he went down, the Knicks were top 6 in net rating and a top 5 record in the league. Saying they’re on par or better than a majority of playoff teams not named the Thunder/Celtics/Cavs is not ridiculous.

The Knicks had a point differential of +72 in the 16 games Brunson missed for an average of +4.5 per game. That’s actually slightly better than their season average of +4.1. Other teams have had more impactful injuries.

More impactful than the best player on the team going down? Nembhard, the Pacers 4th best player, makes the Pacers much better but losing Brunson doesn’t make the Knicks much worse? Trying to understand the logic of that one.

Lies, damn lies, and statistics.

[cgf]

Well it's the series we've been bracing for months and you've gotta be nervous against the defending champs...and they'll probably handle us in 6 or 7...but it's hard not to be excited to see how we stack up with our full top 7 healthy, proper rest, and Thibs pulling out all of the stops. Think both 2nd round series in the east will surprise some people, the way ORL / DET / IND surprised folks in round one.

That penultimate game was close til we gassed even without Mitch. While that final RS game was just one of the better games of the season, and both teams should be fitter than they were for that one...Robinson in better shape, Karl / OG / Hart having gotten to rest their knicks, plus Horford being back on the court for Boston and Boston's knee being in better shape...so hopefully the basketball is even better, only with a slightly different final result

The Knicks are thoroughly outmatched in every single category. And the Celtics will get Holiday back. It's just a really good, really deep Celtics team that just won a championship.
Basically the Celtics, Cavs and obviously the Thunder are in their own tier this season.

I think you’ll be surprised.

[Mk0]

Tatum is the best player in the playoffs rn. Celts in 4 or 5

Brunson clears Tatum

Knicks in 4

Brunson amazing game last game, but his fishing for fouls against bostons elite perimete defense idk. Tatum is premiere on both ends and he’s hitting his peak. Game is slow motion for him. Not even a Celtics fan, but super jealous of what they got there

+1 I don't think Brunson's flopping is going to pay off against the Celtics like it did against the Pistons.

The Celtics perimeter defense is just too damn good and they won't get hosed by the refs like that. I know a lot of Celtics fans swear the refs hate them but no way they get hit with the ticky-tack fouls that Detroit had to face. Knicks won't be able to afford a poor shooting night from Brunson.

Meanwhile the Celtics can afford their stars having an off night because they do more than score. Tatum could go ice cold and he'd still play great defense, lead the team in rebounds and have half a dozen assists. And if that night coincides with a guy like White or Pritchard going off for 25 I wouldn't be shocked. The Celtics are just too deep.

[robbie84]

Well it's the series we've been bracing for months and you've gotta be nervous against the defending champs...and they'll probably handle us in 6 or 7...but it's hard not to be excited to see how we stack up with our full top 7 healthy, proper rest, and Thibs pulling out all of the stops. Think both 2nd round series in the east will surprise some people, the way ORL / DET / IND surprised folks in round one.

That penultimate game was close til we gassed even without Mitch. While that final RS game was just one of the better games of the season, and both teams should be fitter than they were for that one...Robinson in better shape, Karl / OG / Hart having gotten to rest their knicks, plus Horford being back on the court for Boston and Boston's knee being in better shape...so hopefully the basketball is even better, only with a slightly different final result

The Knicks are thoroughly outmatched in every single category. And the Celtics will get Holiday back. It's just a really good, really deep Celtics team that just won a championship.
Basically the Celtics, Cavs and obviously the Thunder are in their own tier this season.

I think you’ll be surprised.

Where do you think the Knicks could find an advantage? Anything in particular that Thibs will focus on?

[LFGK]

They have a worse SRS than any of those teams except for Indiana and the Pacers have been much better in the second half of the season with Nembhard healthy. In Round 1, the Knicks played a team that was much worse than any of those teams and they outscored them by 1.3 PPG. Pacers out scored a similar opponent by 7.3 PPG in the first round. It’s indexing ridiculously hard on vibes to take the Knicks over the Clippers with Kawhi, the Warriors with Butler, or the Nuggets with Jokic.

When games start being decided by srs, we can talk about that instead of the results on the court. Until then Denver doesn’t have enough around Jokic to hang with us and GSW is just too small to beat us with Towns & Brunson healthy. Clippers have the size & supporting cast, but in 2025 I’m taking Brunson over Kawhi in crunchtime

And Milwaukee was much worse than Detroit or Orlando this season, that’s why everyone in the east except Cleveland wanted to play them in round one. People pay too much attention to past accomplishments with teams that have a big name. Giannis is awesome but I was begging to play the Bucks over the Pistons before the seedings were set.

PS what did srs have to say about LA - MIN? Cause that seemed like an obvious win for the wolves that a lot of folks got wrong because they ignored how the two teams would actually matchup.

Brother why u arguing with this clown? Let him talk and they will see in a couple days

[LFGK]

Brunson clears Tatum

Knicks in 4

Brunson amazing game last game, but his fishing for fouls against bostons elite perimete defense idk. Tatum is premiere on both ends and he’s hitting his peak. Game is slow motion for him. Not even a Celtics fan, but super jealous of what they got there

+1 I don't think Brunson's flopping is going to pay off against the Celtics like it did against the Pistons.

The Celtics perimeter defense is just too damn good and they won't get hosed by the refs like that. I know a lot of Celtics fans swear the refs hate them but no way they get hit with the ticky-tack fouls that Detroit had to face. Knicks won't be able to afford a poor shooting night from Brunson.

Meanwhile the Celtics can afford their stars having an off night because they do more than score. Tatum could go ice cold and he'd still play great defense, lead the team in rebounds and have half a dozen assists. And if that night coincides with a guy like White or Pritchard going off for 25 I wouldn't be shocked. The Celtics are just too deep.

Insanity the way they were defending him he coulda
Gotten 15FTA a game, they held him on every single play. And let's not act like Tatum and brown don't try to get to the line as well,both top 10 and Tatum is 2nd. This series will be a lot closer then ppl think but let the Celtics losers talk about the 4-0 regular season. We will see how that helps them starting Monday night.