courtesy: ESPN
New York played last night’s game as if revenge was clearly a part of the agenda. If you remember it was the Celtics who had previously taken the Knicks to task in an embarrassing 41 point blowout at Madison Square Garden on December 8th.
The Knicks used a successful balance of ball movement and aggressiveness on offense that eventually led to a 31 point, 1st quarter taking the ball to the basket with regularity making it at times look easy whether it was a backdoor cut and slam by Iman Shumpert or the return of the Gotham Lob to Tyson Chandler. Seemingly the only negative to come out of the first 12 minutes was the news that Shumpert would be questionable for the rest of the game due to a sprained right shoulder. The same shoulder he injured in the pre-season. He would subsequently be lost for the remainder of the game.
It wasn’t only New York’s starters that were percolating as reserves Tim Hardaway Jr., JR Smith and even Jeremy Tyler would all net double figures in scoring. Boston showed very little in regards to resistance on the defensive end but their offense also failed to ever find a consistent rhythm to counter what New York was able to seemingly do at will.
Rajon Rondo who notoriously gives the Knicks headaches looked like a shell of his former self whether it was because he is still shaking off the rust playing in only his 6th game since returning from ACL surgery or maybe because for the first time since taking over as the C’s starting point guard he didn’t have the luxury of passing off to Kevin Garnett or Paul Pierce who each now call Brooklyn home.
This was the kind of all-around performance that has been missing from the Knicks DNA all season long. One thing that has been a constant this year though has been the play of Carmelo Anthony continuing his fine campaign again leading the team in scoring with an efficient 24 points but also stuffing the stat sheet with 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. The 7 time all-star has elevated his level of play since scoring 62 points against the Bobcats last week and is the currently the league’s 2nd leading scorer only behind Oklahoma City’s, Kevin Durant.
New York never trailed in the game going wire to wire for the victory leading by as many as 35 points in the second half. The Knicks are now 3-3 on their season long 8 game home stand and finish up with games against the Cavaliers and Heat.
Final Knicks 114 Celtics 88
Notes:
New York is now 12-6 when allowing fewer than 25 points in the first quarter.
Metta World Peace returned to action for the first time in a month.
Boston is just 5-14 since General Manager Danny Ainge infamously proclaimed that “Making the playoffs is not a goal”
Wilson Caicedo: PureSportsNY