(Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)
Final: Celtics 116, Knicks 102 - Brown drops 30 as C's run away in second half
BOSTON CELTICS at NEW YORK KNICKS
8:30 p.m., ABC
Line: Boston -6.5
INJURIES
Boston: None
New York: OG Anunoby (OUT, elbow), Julius Randle (OUT, shoulder), Mitchell Robinson (OUT, ankle), Miles McBride (QUESTIONABLE, illness)
LAST TIME
The Celtics got 10 points apiece from Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White in the opening quarter, but they couldn't stop the Knicks at all. Porzingis kept his roll going all half, and Jayson Tatum joined in to fuel a late run to open up a nine-point halftime lead. The lead ballooned to 20 thanks to 11 from White, but a late Knicks run cut it to 14. It got down to 10 and hung around there the rest of the way as things got ugly, and Jaylen Brown got tossed, but Boston held on.
THINGS I’M LOOKING FOR
1. Feed Porzingis: You have to go back to opening night for a Boston game in New York, but Porzingis had a big night on a big stage in that game, and I’m sure he’ll be hoping to do that again. Find him on pick-and-pops and high post opportunities (watch for plenty of horns sets!) and then pick apart the spaced floor.
2. Ball movement: Don’t just go 1-on-1 against these guys. Move the ball and attack that way. There might be some temptation to go isolation on these guys, especially since they're so banged up, but getting the defense moving will open up very easy driving lanes. Getting to the rim and playing off the drive will easily lead to an eighth-straight win.
3. 3-point defense: Don’t let the Knicks live behind the 3-point line and keep the game close through math. Funnel them into the teeth of the defense. But if Boston goes to drop coverage against New York, they have to make sure (a) they're connected to the ball handler when they chase over the top of screens and (b) they don’t drop so low that they allow easy looks. I can see a scenario where walking into some easy mid-rangers can get someone going from 3.
Follow along with my thoughts as the game goes on. They’ll show up below and in the comments section, so hop in and share your opinion as well.