Celtics vs. Knicks Preview NBA Playoffs Round 2: Prediction, Analysis, Keys To Victory

Celtics vs. Knicks Preview NBA Playoffs Round 2: Prediction, Analysis, Keys To Victory

[Music] What’s going on green teamers? You’re watching Celtics Today by Chat Sports and I am your host Tyler Smith. Yes, unfortunately Ally Barefoot will no longer be with the channel. But before we get down to business, I just want to thank Ally for everything she did for Celtics today. I mean, it was awesome. I really, really enjoyed working with her in the 2023 2024 season. Um, I love that experience. Won a title. And now I’m here in the big box ready to bring you guys the best Celtics content on YouTube. A big time Celtics fan. So, hope you welcome me. Welcome me with open arms as the host of Celtics today. And on today’s show, we got to get down to business. And that business is a round two matchup with the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Finally playing the Knicks in the postseason for the first time since 2013. Cannot wait to get into it. The Celtics come in as a minus 800 favorite in this series. Not going to lie, that’s a that’s a hefty price for the people out west. And the Celtics obviously, you know, is deserving of of that price. They won the season series 4 to zero. Kind of in dominant fashion for the most part outside of that April 8th matchup. But man, I know this series is going to be exciting. The Knicks coming off a thrilling series against the Detroit Pistons where Jaylen Brunson absolutely went off and dropped his nuts all over the city of Detroit. So, with that being said, we have our work cut out for us. This is going to be a tougher matchup than round one against Orlando. So, let’s get in the spirit. Let’s send the good vibes. If you want the Celtics to beat the Knicks before we get into this round two preview, do not jinx it. Go down below and hit that thumbs up icon. Celtics, they’re they’re expected to win this series pretty handily. So, I I don’t need anybody jinxing it by not going down below and hitting that thumbs up icon. So, without further ado, let’s get into the Nick Celtics preview. All right, so as it stands, we don’t know exactly what time game one will be just yet at the time of filming this video, but game one will be on Monday, May 5th, followed by a just one day break in between for game two coming on Wednesday. Then a two-day break traveling to the Garden to play on Saturday. Then following up with game four on Monday. You have game five, if necessary, going to be next Wednesday, the 14th. And then so on and so forth. Game six would be Friday and game seven would be Monday. So you do get you would get a two-day break in between game six and game seven if necessary. And like I mentioned previously, the Celtics are heavily favored to win this series. Here is what the probabilities or I guess the likelihoods of a series outcome would be per the people at DraftKings. The Celtics winning 4-1 is the favorite at plus205. That’s actually insane that that the Celtics, you know, winning at five, winning this series super handily is is the odds on favorite. And then closely behind is Celtics sweeping the Knicks at 40. I don’t think this series is going to be a sweep. It could very well be a gentle gentleman’s sweep if things go right for Boston. But I I understand I guess a little bit as to why these odds are the way they are. Cuz the Celtics, to be quite frank with you, like just took it to the Knicks in the regular season. I mean, over the four game stretch that they played, they outscored New York by 17 points per 100 possessions. That that just I mean, they had their way. The Knicks starters couldn’t play against the Knicks the Celtics starters. It just kind of seemed like a weight class difference most of the time during the regular season, but now we’re in the playoffs and and guys step up and guys are risers. So, at the end of the day, you cannot take these guys lightly. But let’s look through these last the four games that the Celtics and Knicks played in the regular season. In the first game of the 2024 25 campaign, the Celtics thrashed the Knicks and we all remember how they were on pace to set the record for most threes in a game, ended up tying the record. Um, what a masterful performance all around from Boston. And you know, you’re in this matchup, you know, everything kind of went well. The Celtics came out of the gate shooting an insane percentage. I think they ended up shooting plus 50%. Yeah, they did. And I mean, the guys just went off for the Celtics. Like, nobody was missing out there. You see Holiday 79, Tatum 14 of 18. Jaylen Brown, I mean, he was kind of the lone inefficient starter, but Derek White eight of 13, Horford four of seven. And keep in mind, like didn’t even have Porzingis for this matchup. And the Knicks couldn’t get anything going at all. I mean, Carl Anthony Towns with his Knicks debut was was quite brutal to be quite honest. I mean, yeah. Yeah. He was efficient, but he couldn’t get any shots up. It was kind of disgusting to watch from Cat to be quite honest with you. But, I mean, the Celtics and Knicks, like they’ve gone at it um, you know, multiple times throughout the season. Like I said, like it has not been all that competitive. I mean, you you move over to when they played in February and the Celtics win handily again, winning by 27. This was the game where I felt like, whoa, the Knicks are maybe not as good as as maybe everybody else thinks or, you know, they’re good as as good as they’re supposed to be with all the investments they’ve made into their roster. I mean, this was the game where Tatum was just frying Male Bridges, like frying him in the ISO and off the catch. It didn’t matter. I mean, Tatum went absolutely nuclear in this game. I think he ended up going for 40. Yes, he did. 13 to 26 from the field and a lot of those came against Male Bridges. I mean, this was the Tatum show and I think we’re going to need to see one or two of these type of games if the Celtics want to win this series in, you know, the fashion that they’re kind of expected to at this point. Knicks couldn’t get anything going this night either. Um, I mean, you you see like just a struggle for them offensively against the Celtics. I mean, the Celtics can switch everything and they can put the Knicks into actions defensively that kind of wear them out and and limit their offensive potential. Then you move to a couple weeks later, Celtics kind of just take care of business again, winning by 13, 118 to 105. And then you get to the last game that they played of the season. This is the tightest battle and this is honestly, you could argue the the game that we have to take the most from when we’re looking at this series. I mean, obviously, we know what happened, how this game went to overtime and Tatum stepped back over OG Noi. Uh, man, that kind of set the tone for me as far as like what we’re going to see in this series. Hopefully, it’s a lot of clutch shots from the Celtics. Hopefully, we don’t have to be in the clutch all that often, but we were in this game and and and the Celtics, they they had to persevere. They had to show that, you know, they were they were championship caliber roster again. I mean, Tatum and Porzingis combining for 66 points in this one. like you you need your stars to step up and you need your stars to be better than the Knicks who again like were just not that good overall but Brunson really found his way in this game especially late scoring 27 cat this is his lone you know really really good outing against the Celtics this year he had 34 in this matchup so that’s going to be something the Celtics definitely have to pay attention to it it is no secret that Carl Anthony Towns and Gaylen Brunson are both very very good basketball players and they can go off and heat up at any point in this series like there’s there’s no there’s no if ends or buts about it, but at the end of the day, I I I really do think that there is a skill gap between these two teams. Like I mentioned, Celtics outscore the Knicks by 17 points per 100 possessions. They have to lock in and just execute and be the better team like they’ve been all season long or else they’re going to this thing’s going to go longer than it needs to and nobody is going to like that. Celtics will not be um you know, properly rested. Don’t need more tread on these tires heading into another long playoff run. and we will be live right here on the channel for every single game. Yes, the watch parties will continue here at Celtics today. I will be in the driver’s seat this time around. I can’t wait to bring you guys the energy for every single Celtics game. So, join us and turn your notifications on as well so you know exactly when we go live on the channel and help us beat the Knicks now channel. Those frauds over there. Yeah, they made me they made me work for them at some point this year. I hated every second of it and I’m not going to speak to Marshall Green at all. I heard what he had to say to me on his preview video. So, lock us in. And if you hate the Knicks, make sure you are subscribed to the channel because we are on a rocket ship here at Celtics today. And I want you guys to be a part of every single game that we have broadcasted on here. Watch parties or other live events as well. Hit that sub button if you’re a diehard Celtics fan. All right, let’s get into the keys to victory for this series. It’s the Tatum and KP show. As far as superstars that need to step up, this is Jason Tatum and and Kristas Porzingis’s time to shine. I know a lot of people haven’t been happy with the way that Chris Asporing has been playing lately. Not so sure why, but at the end of the day, he balls out when he sees the orange and blue. Versus New York this year in the two games that he did play. I mean, just utter dominance. 24 and a half a game, shooting incredibly efficiently, 45% from long range, yet he’s 10 of 22 in those two games. And when you have the 7 foot three player that’s able to stretch the floor in the way that Porzingis is and how how much of a threat he is not only in the pick and pop but also in the pick and roll as well. Um you’re going to you’re going to have success against a lot of NBA teams that just aren’t able to guard that. Cat cannot guard Chris Sasports I guess in any shape of the imagination. Like and then you you you know kind of move over to Tatum who we know has fried fried MueL Bridges all season long. Like when he’s guard when when Bridges is guarding Tatum he shoots 70%. He shoots 70% 57 from three-point range. He had 35 on him. 35 I believe and he ended up being like something like 13 to 19 total uh from the floor there against Bridges. Now, when he is defended by OG is a little bit of a different story. And this this happens a lot less frequently in in in this season series, which is kind of interesting to me that they didn’t make the adjustment sooner, but Tatum is inefficient against OG. And it has been on, you know, fewer possessions and whatnot. But at the end of the day, Tatum has to go off. This is this is a wing duo. The Knicks brought in to stop Jason Tatum, but at the end of the day, I I I think those those those efforts have proved feudal. and Tatum continues to rock these guys every single time they match up. And you know what happened in that last game against the, you know, against New York down the stretch going to overtime in overtime. These two, these two closed the game. These two closed out the Knicks. So, if the Celtics are going to win this series and win it handily, then these two are going to need to be the guys that step up the biggest and in the biggest moments. And they’ve shown that they can do that all season long. Next up, Celtics got to stay healthy. And I know this is like it can go for any series or any instance at all in basketball. Like you got to stay healthy, but you know, the Knicks, well, I’ll talk about it in a minute, but the Knicks, they’re going to try to muck up this series. The Celtics injuries on hand right now. Obviously, no Porzingis got the stitches. Drew Holiday, he’s been missing time in this playoff run, so not exactly the best for, you know, consistency and continuity in the lineup. Tatum’s got the wrist, his shooting wrist, um, that he kind of keeps pointing at. And then Jaylen Brown, obviously with the knee and the and the finger thing going on as well. Um, this team is not at 100%. Everybody’s going to be available to play for this series, I’m I believe, and and they’re going to be playing at 100%, but they’re not, you know, all the way there as healthy as they were last uh last playoff run, obviously, barring Porzingis. But what did I say? I I I I the Knicks are going to muck this series up. They’re going to try to be physical. They’re going to try to take Celtics out of rhythm. Like they they probably know that there’s not a, you know, clear advantage skill-wise between each of these two rosters. So, the Knicks are going to try to muck up this game. They’re going to try to get in the Celtics heads and they have to respond to that physicality, but you also have to preserve yourself and stay healthy and anticipate this being a long series if this is how the Knicks are going to do it. But to be fair, the Knicks are also banged up as well. Josh Hart, Jaylen Brunson, they kind of got some things tweaked in game five against the against Detroit. So, like, are they all 100%. Could the Celtics take advantage of that aspect of things? I mean, I I’m not saying like what Dylan Brooks is saying about how he’s hunting Stephen Curry’s injured uh wrist, but or injured thumb, excuse me, but at the end of the day, the best abilities ability is availability. And if you are not going to be the most available and most healthy team in the series, then you’re you’re probably going to lose no matter how better how much better the Celtics roster is than New York’s. It’s just it’s just plain and simple. So stay healthy and and you know match their physicality, but but be able to preserve yourself and and stay locked in and and make make sure you’re not making any super decisions like that. Next, limit the Knicks other guys. And I say other guys because they are, you know, the starters. The starters for the Knicks play like 35 plus minutes a game every single time. So they’re going to play the vast majority of these games. They are not a deep team whatsoever. And we know that heading into this series, Jaylen Brunson will get his. I don’t think there’s any doubts in anybody’s mind. We saw what he was able to do to Detroit. We saw what he’s been able to do in the biggest moments against the Celtics this year. And I mean just that was ice cold what he did to send the Pistons packing. So we know he will get his and I think Celtics can let that happen. Like he averaged what 27 a game against them this season. I think he go for 30 every single game and you could still beat the Knicks 40. Like like that that’s just what’s going to happen. who you have to pay attention to getting hot is, you know, players like the guys on the wings or like a Carl Anthony Towns who as the season went on got a lot better against the Celtics. I mean, a couple of abysmal showings for Cat in the first two games combining for 21 points. Then he goes for 24. Kind of gets his feet wet a little bit. 18 boards in that game, kind of controlling the glass. And then 34 on April 8th. 34 and 14. And he was hella efficient in those last two games as well. So like you’re going to have to do whatever it takes to kind of not let Carl Anthony Towns get in a rhythm as you know he is their second best offensive player and then you know do what it takes to get Bridges and OG gassed as well because they have not fared well against Boston at all this season. I mean OG averages nine points per game. Mel averages 18. These guys are combining for 23 points per game. That will not win a series if you’re the New York Knicks. Plus, they have been absolutely dis like terrible as for you know their net ratings and they’re the plus minus at male you know with a minus 26.6 and and an OG to minus 17. Like these guys on the floor have not been positives for New York. And I also think another player that is going to be a huge X factor in this series particularly offensively where you don’t really think about him is Josh Hart. I I do think Josh Hart will be a big time X factor on the offensive end because the way that the Celtics defend the Knicks they match up Chris Dasporzingis on Josh Hart. So, is he going to attack more? Is he going to be more of a um aggressive shooter from the outside? Is he hasn’t really been this season, but Horzigus is going to sag off and he’s going to kind of act as a ror. What will Josh Hart’s approach be offensively? And how will the Knicks deploy Miles McBride if he’s not efficient offensively? And that’s another look. And you can’t really have Porzingis guarding McBride with the way that he’s a threat to score. So, got to limit the Knicks other guys, do what they do uh defensively to to get their switches and be in advantageous situations on that end. Uh I think that they’ll they’ll do just fine. Like the these are all kind of par for the course things that we have to worry about for Boston. So, you know, just make sure we’re we’re dot eyes dotted, tees crossed at the end of the day. like like just you know Jaylen Brunson is going to get his do what it takes to limit the other guys on this Knicks starting five and also get them in rotation like kind of going back to what I said about the Knicks starters playing all these minutes is they are going to get tired this Celtics team is at its best when the ball is flying around the floor and that’s kind of what happened in the first couple meetings of this of the season series like the Celtics have the ball flying in that first round m in that first matchup back in October So, continue to do that. Continue to get the next in rotations. Continue to hunt switches. Like Jason Tatum has taken a huge playmaking uh leap this season as far as what he’s doing when he reacts to double teams or what he’s doing just as a pure ball handler and a point forward for this this Celtics team. He has taken a massive leap. He’s gotten up to the six assists a game. And that’s because defense is, you know, double him more than any player in the entire league. And he’s been, you know, making them pay for those mistakes right now. So could set the screens, hunt, uh get Cat switched on to guards. Like there’s going to be a lot of opportunities for Boston offensively to exploit the next defense and get mismatches is what the Celtics, you know, kind of bread and butter is at this point. Hunt defensive weaknesses. Cat can be one of those guys. Can you get Derek White switched on to him? Can you get Drew Holidayiday switched on to him? And he’ll be, you know, either sagging off, you can pop a three, or you can you use your effective dribble driving skills to to get past a guy like Carlton Towns. hunt Jaylen Brunson defensively. Like, yes, he’s got he’s he’s gotten a little bit better as a defender, but like make him work on the defensive end so he’s not going to be as big of a threat on the offensive end. Get these Knicks in rotation, get them tired out, and hopefully you’re going to, you know, fare better, get better shots more more than likely, and end up wrapping the series up in five or six games. And just ex at the end of the day, like it just comes down to this. You are the better team in this series. You’re the better team. So, just be better. Just execute and be better. I mean, I I I don’t really know what else there is to say about this matchup other than the fact that the Celtics are the better team, man. And they they can’t go out there and and and get punked by a Knicks team that nobody believes in right now. They’re using that nobody believes in us mentality. Yeah. Because nobody should go beat them. Uh I should have probably showed these numbers earlier, but like we know who the better basketball team is here. They’re they have a much higher net rating of 9.4 to 4.0. Like that’s that’s egregious. The Celtics take and make the most threes in the entire NBA. They have the league’s second best offensive rating. They have the league’s fourth best defensive rating. Meanwhile, the Knicks have the 13th best defensive rating. When you thought that this team would be excellent defensively, they’re really not. And they don’t take a ton of threes. This is going to be a math problem for the Celtics. And it was a math problem early on in the season. It’s going to be another math problem in this series as well. Take a bunch of threes, make a bunch of threes, and just do what you do best. Hit shots. like this Celtics team is so skilled. We were so lucky to be able to watch it day in and day out. It would be a disaster to lose this series to the New York Knicks. It would be a disaster, not only for this Boston Celtics team, but for me, too. I I I don’t know if I can survive in this office if the Knicks beat the Celtics. So, go out there, execute, do your thing, and and everything will be all right. Like, you the the series will go will come will come and go, and the Celtics will be another step closer to winning another championship. So, with that being said, who do you got in the series? Type Boss for Boston. type nk for the Knicks. I want to hear what you guys got as I’m about to give you my prediction down below in just one second. All righty. I think the Celtics win in six. Yes, it’s a little bit longer than a lot of people are pegging the series to go, but I I I do I do I respect the Knicks. I respect the Knicks enough to get two games off of the Celtics. And what do we know about Boston? They’re the best road team in the entire league. So, I feel very confident in them closing out the series on the road in the Garden 33 and8 record this season. And with that being said, make sure you are subscribed to the channel and tune in for game one for my first watch party hosting Celtics today. Can’t wait to get into it. And another huge thank you to Alli Bareford for all the contributions that she made to this show. Um, wouldn’t have been possible without her and and we wouldn’t have seen the growth that we did if it wasn’t for Ally and all her hard work and dedication. So, special shout out to her. Can’t wait to carry the mantle and hopefully do this channel some justice because I love the Celtics, man. And and I can’t wait to cover cover them with you every single day. So, my name is Tyler Smith. Can’t wait to host Celtics today with you guys. And as always, we’ll see you in the next one. Go Seas. [Music]

Boston Celtics News Today comes after the New York Knicks defeated the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs and are set to matchup with the C’s in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Celtics highlights have been abundant throughout all four meetings in the 2024-25 NBA Season, each won by Boston. Jayson Tatum highlights have gone notoriously viral vs. Mikal Bridges. Most pundits as well as the oddsmakers out West believe the Celtics will win easily. On today’s show, new Celtics Today host Tyler Smith says to pump the brakes on this being an easy series and brings you his 5 keys to victory and his Celtics vs. Knicks prediction.

SUBSCRIBE to Boston Celtics Today for ALL of your Celtics news: http://www.youtube.com/celticstv?sub_confirmation=1

Celtics Keys To Victory vs. Knicks:
– The Tatum and KP Show
– Stay healthy
– Limit Knicks “other guys”
– Get them in rotation
– Just execute and be better

Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks In The 2024-25 NBA Season:
– 10/22: Celtics WIN 132-109
– 02/08: Celtics WIN 131-104
– 02/23: Celtics WIN 118-105
– 04/08: Celtics WIN 119-117 in OT

Check out some of our other Boston Celtics YouTube videos:
– Boston Celtics Advance To Round 2 + Breaking Down Potential Opponents | Celtics News – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NohWzMKNRM
– Boston Celtics Injury News Ahead Of Game 5 Ft. Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown:

– Time To Panic? Celtics Drop Game 3 To The Orlando Magic | Boston Celtics Rumors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxxUmnjCqpA

Tired of watching and want to read? We got Boston Celtics news articles from spots like ESPN, Barstool Sports, Bleacher Report, the Volume & more: https://www.chatsports.com/Boston-Celtics

Kristaps Porzingis Highlights vs. Knicks:
– PPG 24.5
– FG%: 50.0
– 3P% 45.5
– 3P/3PM 10/22

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– WHO YA GOT? Type ‘BOS’ for Celtics, ‘NYK’ for Knicks

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