The New York Knicks will be looking to gain ground in the Eastern Conference playoff chase when they take on the Boston Celtics on the road in Beantown on Wednesday night. The Knicks are currently fourth in the Atlantic Division, nine games behind the division-leading Celtics, and seventh in the Eastern Conference, also nine games behind the top spot. However, they are just one game behind Miami for the final guaranteed playoff spot and four games clear of the Wizards to stay in the playoff picture.
In their previous game on Tuesday night, the Knicks upended the Cleveland Cavaliers 105-103 at home, winning outright as a 3.5-point underdog. Julius Randle led the way with 36 points and 13 rebounds in the win, which snapped a four-game slide for the Knicks. For the season, the Knicks are 14th in the league in scoring offense with 114.1 points per game, 3rd in the league in rebounding with 47.3 rebounds per game, and 27th in the league in assists with 22.6 dimes per game. The Knicks also have a strong defense, ranking 9th in the league in scoring defense, allowing 112.1 points per game.
Boston, on the other hand, is coming off a tough 98-95 loss on the road to Miami in the second game of a back-to-back situation on Tuesday night. The Celtics failed to cover as a 2.5-point underdog in the game and now have a 3.5-game lead over Philadelphia in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. In the game against Miami, Boston led by 10 with 8:47 remaining but went scoreless for more than five minutes and ultimately lost the game. For the season, the Celtics are 2nd in the league in scoring offense with 117.6 points per game, 8th in the league in rebounding with 44.5 boards per game, and 6th in the league in assists with 26.6 dimes per game. The Celtics also have a strong defense, ranking 8th in the league in scoring defense, allowing 112 points per game.
As the game approaches, both teams will be looking to make adjustments to their strategies and take advantage of any weaknesses in the opposing team. The Knicks will likely focus on exploiting the Celtics’ lack of depth in the frontcourt, especially with the absence of Horford and Griffin. They will also look to take advantage of the high turnover rate of the Celtics and capitalize on fast break opportunities. On the other hand, the Celtics will look to contain Randle and limit his impact on the game. They will also look to take advantage of the Knicks’ lack of ball movement and force them into taking difficult shots.
In the end, it will be a battle of wills as both teams look to come out on top. The Knicks will be looking to prove that they can compete with the top teams in the East, while the Celtics will be looking to solidify their position as the top team in the division. Both teams have the talent and the coaching to win, but it will ultimately come down to which team can execute their game plan better and make the key plays down the stretch.
One thing is for sure, it will be a thrilling and intense matchup that fans won’t want to miss. The game tips off at 7:30 PM ET and can be seen on NBC Sports Boston and MSG Network. Make sure to tune in and catch all the action as these two teams battle it out for division supremacy.
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