y2zipper wrote:We all know they have to play good D and stuff, but the biggest factor for the Knicks is going to be whether or not they hit shots.
Nice. But painfully obvious.
James and teammate Dwyane Wade discussed the problem of playing the Celtics before Sunday’s tip-off, Wade said after the game, agreeing that the “one thing this team is good at is making you try too hard because of the dislike against them.”
The Celtics are perfectionists at taking any opponent away from what they do best via rugged defense. The Jermaine O'Neil shoulder tackle on Lebron was a perfect example of how they like to instigate an emotional response. Especially in front of the Boston mob at home.
The Knicks must do what they do when they are at their best. Stay focused and not get caught up in any retaliation. They know Amere plays with emotion. Expect Boston to test Amare with a dirty play.
Hit the open man.
skeng wrote:Rebounding.
THANK YOU!
If the Knicks can keep the disparity in rebounds low, then it is a game. If the Knicks FIGHT FOR AND WIN THE BATTLE OF THE BOARDS, IT'S ON TO THE SECOND ROUND.
Sangfroid wrote:skeng wrote:Rebounding.
THANK YOU! If the Knicks can keep the disparity in rebounds low, then it is a game. If the Knicks FIGHT FOR AND WIN THE BATTLE OF THE BOARDS, IT'S ON TO THE SECOND ROUND.
Addendum: A'mare Stoutemire must not allow himself to be PUNKED BY KEVIN GARNETT OR ANY CELTIC, FOR THAT MATTER. THE CELTIC RESPONSE IS TO BECOME PHYSICAL, TAKING A TEAM OUT OF IT'S RHYTHM. WE MUST COME WITH A SWAGGER, AND NOT BACK DOWN
Sangfroid wrote:Sangfroid wrote:skeng wrote:Rebounding.
THANK YOU! If the Knicks can keep the disparity in rebounds low, then it is a game. If the Knicks FIGHT FOR AND WIN THE BATTLE OF THE BOARDS, IT'S ON TO THE SECOND ROUND.
Addendum: A'mare Stoutemire must not allow himself to be PUNKED BY KEVIN GARNETT OR ANY CELTIC, FOR THAT MATTER. THE CELTIC RESPONSE IS TO BECOME PHYSICAL, TAKING A TEAM OUT OF IT'S RHYTHM. WE MUST COME WITH A SWAGGER, AND NOT BACK DOWN
That my friend, is a formula for a game suspension.
The Celtics know that removing any of the Knicks Three Superfriends from the equation is huge.
Being "punked" is better than receiving a deflating technical foul and awarding the opponent an extra possession in a close game.
By all means, back down... PLEASE back down... especially while the refs are looking.
Stated Another Way
No thoughtless, meaningless, macho bullsh!t. No chest thumping, no self-promotion and no taunting.
Street cred has no place on the basketball court during the playoffs and the refs are already on high alert to keep games under control on a national broadcast stage. Out of control behavior is bad for ratings in some markets.
Swagger is earned after you win.
In the last Indiana game, when Granger lined up for the game winning shot, Melo, the guy who was supposed to be deficient in his defense, found a way to block it. I think the Celtics' confidence playing from behind in the last few minutes of the game, is believing that Pierce is likely to make the last minute shot that "seals the deal" and then run around the court pretending he is an airplane.
Carmelo showed extraordinary athleticism to block Granger's shot. If he can do the same thing versus Pierce with the game on the line, it very well could be a pivotal moment in the Knicks Celtics series. (The Celtics are a bit fragile presently because of their age, the fact that they have been having less success recently, plus specifically losing a key piece in their lineup when Perkins was traded away.)
rvwink wrote:In the last Indiana game, when Granger lined up for the game winning shot, Melo, the guy who was supposed to be deficient in his defense, found a way to block it. I think the Celtics' confidence playing from behind in the last few minutes of the game, is believing that Pierce is likely to make the last minute shot that "seals the deal" and then run around the court pretending he is an airplane. Carmelo showed extraordinary athleticism to block Granger's shot. If he can do the same thing versus Pierce with the game on the line, it very well could be a pivotal moment in the Knicks Celtics series. (The Celtics are a bit fragile presently because of their age, the fact that they have been having less success recently, plus specifically losing a key piece in their lineup when Perkins was traded away.)
rvwink - there would be nothing sweeter than the Knicks winning game seven on the Celtics home court and watching the entire Knicks team celebrate with an improvised happy dance into the locker room.
Expect The Unexpected
There Will Be Blood
At some point there will be a hard foul or an intentional elbow to send a message to the other team.
The Celtics will probably strike first.
Possible contestants include the obvious. Garnett hacking Turiaf, or Shaq pulverizing Jeffries. Turiaf will hit back. Jeffries will crumple to the floor. Whoever it is, it needs to involve New York bench players and NEVER he starters.
But just in case, the Knicks best enforcer/ brawlers are Shawne Williams and Bill Walker.
Knicks just have to keep taking it to the hole. The C's will foul cuz they want to play tough, but STAT and MELO need to keep attacking. STAT and Melo are quicker than KG and Pierce and they need to use that edge to go right at them. The more that STAT and MELO attack the basket the better.
nixluva wrote:Knicks just have to keep taking it to the hole. The C's will foul cuz they want to play tough, but STAT and MELO need to keep attacking. STAT and Melo are quicker than KG and Pierce and they need to use that edge to go right at them. The more that STAT and MELO attack the basket the better.
Yes, thank you. The refs refuse to give us respect and calls, well lets make them. They cannot refuse call anything(which they try when we are fouled). If the amount of times we get fouled increases=the amount of fouls that they actually have to call goes up as well. And we get the edge and earn respect. I love it.
Most important factor is Melo and Amare staying out of foul trouble.
gr33d wrote:Most important factor is Melo and Amare staying out of foul trouble.
It's a fine line. How do you stay out of foul trouble and play aggressive at the same time?
nixluva wants Carmelo and Stoudemire to "keep taking it to the hole", which is a solid strategy, but there is such a thing as an offensive foul.
Stoudemire, especially, MUST keep his head up at all times and pass out of the swarming double and triple team.
With that said, The Answer Man is thankful the Knicks are NOT going into battle with The Amazing Shrinking Man, Joe Johnson.
It's gonna be my man Buck!
Pine Brothers
"Boston is deeper, more talented, more playoff-tested and far superior defensively. If the Celtics are sharp, they should win the series in five games.
The Celtics still have four-fifths of the lineup that won the 2007-8 title, and all of them are All-Stars. They have two former All-Stars rotating at center: Jermaine O’Neal and Shaquille O’Neal. And they again have a deep and playoff-seasoned bench, featuring Glen Davis, Delonte West, Carlos Arroyo, Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic.
The Knicks — chasing the dream of their own Big Three — acquired Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups in February and attached them to Amar’e Stoudemire. But they have played just 18 games together and have none of the advantages that the Celtics’ stars enjoy. The Knicks’ chemistry is iffy. And they simply lack talent beyond their superstar core.
The Knicks have two starters, Ronny Turiaf and Landry Fields, who should be bench players. Their bench has just one reliable performer, Toney Douglas. Their reserve big men, Jared Jeffries and Shelden Williams, would not make the rotation for most playoff teams.
The lack of depth leaves the Knicks vulnerable to foul trouble and slumps by their stars."
- Howard Beck, NYT
Toney Douglas averaged 7.5 points on 35.7 percent shooting from the field and 29.4 percent from three as the Knicks went 0-4 against the Celtics. That's including his first game against Boston Oct. 29, the Knicks' second game of the season. In that contest, Douglas played well, scoring 12 points on 4-of-8 from the field and 3-of-5 from 3-point land.
"Toney's key. Toney has always been key," D'Antoni said. "We're a little bit of a barometer of his game."
- Mark Hale
We need Toney Douglas to get hot.
misterearl wrote:We need Toney Douglas to get hot.
that, to me, is the biggest Knick key. If Toney "Feast or Famine" Douglas does his best Ray Allen impression, I like our chances significantly more. But if not, well, we're fucked
We need an inside presence, we need our shooters not just shooting for shooting's sake but to open up the interior for layups, gimmies, putbacks, etc. We need Amare working close to the rim and punishing the paint like he used to. Don't want us living and dying by the 3, hoping our shots fall. Don't hope, put the damn ball thru the hole like your life depends on it.
BlueSeats wrote:We need an inside presence, we need our shooters not just shooting for shooting's sake but to open up the interior for layups, gimmies, putbacks, etc. We need Amare working close to the rim and punishing the paint like he used to. Don't want us living and dying by the 3, hoping our shots fall. Don't hope, put the damn ball thru the hole like your life depends on it.
Ideally the kNicks would take it to the area Kendrick Perkins used to occupy, but I have no faith of this happening whatsoever
SupremeCommander wrote:BlueSeats wrote:We need an inside presence, we need our shooters not just shooting for shooting's sake but to open up the interior for layups, gimmies, putbacks, etc. We need Amare working close to the rim and punishing the paint like he used to. Don't want us living and dying by the 3, hoping our shots fall. Don't hope, put the damn ball thru the hole like your life depends on it.
Ideally the kNicks would take it to the area Kendrick Perkins used to occupy, but I have no faith of this happening whatsoever
That's exactly right. Get KG in foul trouble and beat up on Krstic.
