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

[Celts17Pride]

Knicks in 4 still alive

So is my Celtics in 5

[f4p]

15/60 threes is just straight gross

The way the Celtics play is analytically correct but when they're missing shots it is just brutal to watch.

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.

On the one hand, yes variance is less of what you want as the superior team, but I would still say it's difficult in a sport where teams will have 700+ possessions in a series to move away from anything with a higher overall point per possession, even if it's higher variance. Like the Celtics might not lose with less 3s today (although people tend to only talk about taking too many 3s.when a team loses, never when it generates a win), but they did just win the title taking a lot of 3s, in large part because they made so many 3s, so losing games like this is just the price of admission.

But I don't like the Celtics so if they want to shoot 15 for 60 every game, go ahead.

[Riot Randolph]

Tatum and Brown will be better. No way they’ll score this bad hunting Brunson and KAT.

Same with KAT and Bridges

[AFM]

Celtics ugly af to watch I’m glad they lost

[Iwasawitness]

Good on the Knicks. Definitely wasn’t expecting this.

[Froob]

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

[JustBuzzin]

Americas team won

[Fat]

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

[bluemj32]

Tatum ain’t good enough to lead a repeat

He is, skill set and mentality is there. This was about coaching and scheme. Get his easier shots closer to the hoop to get him going.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using RealGM mobile app

[Mamba81p]

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

[Zenzibar]

[itrsteve]

Gutty win, congrats to NYK. Going to be a killer series

[knicksfan974]

15-60 from 3.... 60 freakin' 3's... 45 missed 3's. This isn't the game I grew up loving.

Congrats to NY though

That was really disgusting to watch. I will always root against any team taking this offensive approach.

[knicksNOTslick]

I wish this humbled all the Celtics fans and the media who keep bringing up their regular season success against New York. They were talking way too much. Boston can still win the series but it's not gonna be easy like they say it is.

[California Gold]

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

Bad game, most of their misses were pretty open. I've never seen a team miss 45 3's, that's just abysmal.

[ITYSL]

yeah I don't expect the Celtics to shoot 25% from 3 for the rest of the series. Given that they still had a chance to win. But it doesn't matter. Knicks deserved the win tonight, good on em. They could have folded mid 3rd quarter.

[f4p]

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.

[scrabbarista]

If the Knicks win another game in this series, it will be the second time a miracle occurred in this series.

Tucker is good for one win. The winningest win percentage playoff player in the NBA.

But even Tucker won't get this series to six games.

[Bob Ross]

Raps in 4

[RB34]

Celtics ugly af to watch I’m glad they lost

This is wild coming from a Wizard fan. Your team should be relegated and the players banned for life.