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

[Reeko]

Watch on YouTube

My favorite parts of this video are:

"Fresh out the Garden baby, We taking it ALL THE WAY!!"

"Real talk I'm from New York, and you know what? Tom Brady's a **** bitch! **** Tom Brady! You heard?"

[CKB]

Tatum needs to be in the post more often. He is 6'8 but camps out at the 3 point line.

[Marvin Martian]

I'd argue if you're the more talented team, you actually hurt yourself by focusing too much on the 3-point shot, since you're diluting your talent to something that's higher variance. More blowouts, but point differential doesn't matter in the playoffs.

Fair point.

There's also the less analytical, but more "feel for the game" argument, that if you become obsessed with 3's and layups, you as a player get tunnel vision and ignore the open spots on the floor where you can break down a defense or get open midrange shots, which if they're open, are still a great option. Jalen Brunson lives in that midrange and that's how he killed the Celtics defense this game, everyone will remember those stepback 3's but his work at carving the middle of the floor up opened his teammates up and made everything work.

Conversely, Boston had zero midrange game, everything was 3 or head down drive.

Tatum and Brown are decent mid range shooters. They just have bad BBIQ

[Finchination33]

Celtics had a bad game? Or did they get clamped.

It was probably both.

I don't think Boston go 25% from 3 again in this series. Boston definitely missed some wide open 3s, it wasn't all great defence in the second half.

[ky_23]

jrue and white really are the heart of this team. i couldn't count how many times they made a crucial defensive play or grabbed an offensive rebound to keep the team in the game. celtics are an all time great team but they are one of the most annoying teams i ever watched. cmon now 60 threes? they sure wont miss that much again but they should have a plan b when shot are not falling. btw tatum 40 point game incoming in game 2. he always shows up after a stinker

[jc23]

waits for the bill simmons podcast

[CelticSooner]

good fight Knicks, bad choke job by Celtics.

I still think Celts in 6, hopefully it doesn't continue to be a brick fest

The Celtics shot an epic 15 for 60 on the same night the Knicks almost shot 50% from 3, and it still went to OT. I'm not holding out much hope for the Knicks.

Depends on if the C's are falling back into their stupid ways of chucking that never worked. Tatum was way too cocky tonight. Just move the ball and get a better look.

[bluemj32]

Tatum needs to be in the post more often. He is 6'8 but camps out at the 3 point line.

Elbow or nail more, in that Dirk, Kawhi, Kobe, Jordan spot. Hard to double team, can get in triple threat, and you're 1-2 dribbles from the rim.

It's a coaching scheme issue

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[omerome]

If Celtics are dumb enough to trade Holiday, teams should make him #1 priority. He is their true MVP, unfortunately they don't use him enough

Nah. I think White is their MVP. He's someone they can't afford to lose.

[sp6r=underrated]

The Celtics played as poorly as they could with no Porzingis most of the game and still went to OT. I can't imagine that is good news for the Knicks but credit to them for pulling it out at the end.

Nonsensical

shot 25% from 3 and still almost won

Yeah this is how I feel. Knicks are going to have to play better to win 3 more. Boston is a really great club

[SamBridges]

og adobe is going to break out in this series

[knicksfan974]

Tatum needs to be in the post more often. He is 6'8 but camps out at the 3 point line.

Shhh don't give them any ideas. Better just for the whole team to camp at the 3 point line and not try anything silly...

[uncleduck13]

The way JB got ripped by Mikal was soul snatching

[ChumboChappati]

Celtics go on a run in 2nd quarter when Tatum was off the floor while Brown was on the floor.
Knicks go on a run in 3rd quarter when Tatum was on the floor, while Brown was off the floor.
Food for thought. Does Celtics brass notice these things?

[ITYSL]

Watch on YouTube

My favorite parts of this video are:

"Fresh out the Garden baby, We taking it ALL THE WAY!!"

"Real talk I'm from New York, and you know what? Tom Brady's a **** bitch! **** Tom Brady! You heard?"

Reminds me of when I would walk through Copley Square in Boston and a random "Yankees suck!" chant would break out. So lame but also kinda funny

[Tim_Hardawayy]

Fair point.

There's also the less analytical, but more "feel for the game" argument, that if you become obsessed with 3's and layups, you as a player get tunnel vision and ignore the open spots on the floor where you can break down a defense or get open midrange shots, which if they're open, are still a great option. Jalen Brunson lives in that midrange and that's how he killed the Celtics defense this game, everyone will remember those stepback 3's but his work at carving the middle of the floor up opened his teammates up and made everything work.

Conversely, Boston had zero midrange game, everything was 3 or head down drive.

Tatum and Brown are decent mid range shooters. They just have bad BBIQ

Yeah I wasn't implying they weren't, just that they and the Celtics as a whole are wasting that midrange area by being so focused on the 3. It's difficult to make the argument against them since not only does analytics prefer it, but they just won a championship. But I think especially in a series where on paper you're the clearly more talented team, you're wasting the talent by hyper focusing on the 3-point shot.

It also puts added pressure when you start missing, and you start chucking to chuck which is what I think brought some of that bad play on. Gambler's fallacy, but translated to the court, "I missed 3 in a row surely I'll make the next 1!"

[sp6r=underrated]

Watch on YouTube

My favorite parts of this video are:

"Fresh out the Garden baby, We taking it ALL THE WAY!!"

"Real talk I'm from New York, and you know what? Tom Brady's a **** bitch! **** Tom Brady! You heard?"

I watch that all the time. It is a masterpiece. My favorite one is the guy who says Tom Brady owes him money. Pay up Tom.

[BigDan245]

Mitchell Robinson +13 and KAT +8....Just saying even with Robinson being an abhorrent foul shooter, he's still a heck of an impact.

[Tor_Raps]

45 3 point misses... you would somewhat understand if the other team had a prime Duncan/Robinson in the paint but the Knicks got Kitty Kat protecting the rim man lol.

[GeorgeMarcus]

What happened to KP? Left the game due to "illness"?