As the Boston Celtics prepare to face the New York Knicks on Monday night in Boston, Knicks fans are hopeful their team can take down the reigning NBA Champions. New York’s various changes were specifically designed to compete against Boston. They signed OG Anunoby to a five-year, $212 million contract, traded five first-round draft picks for Mikal Bridges, exchanged Julius Randle for Karl-Anthony Towns, and added wings like Josh Hart.
If the New York Knicks cannot defeat the Boston Celtics in the second round, someone within their organization will need to answer for it, whether that’s a front office member, a player or two, or even their head coach, Tom Thibodeau. The team made significant investments during the off-season and sacrificed a lot to build a roster they believe could compete with the Celtics. With Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown regarded as the best forward tandem in the league, the Knicks added defensive-minded players like Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart to strengthen their wing defense against them. However, this strategy has not proven effective, as the Celtics defeated the Knicks in all four matchups this season, three of which were decisive blowouts.
Jason Tatum is averaging 33.5 points per game against the Knicks this season, shooting 53% from the field and 47% from three-point range. The Knicks cannot continue letting Tatum dominate them this way and expect to win this series. Then we have last year’s finals MVP, Jalen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis (who seems always to give the Knicks problems), which equals a recipe for disaster. However, to answer the question, “What happens if the Knicks can’t beat the Celtics?” The answer is going to depend on how badly the Knicks lose. If New York gets swept (which isn’t far-fetched), we will see Tom Thibodeau lose his job. If the series is competitive and the Knicks go six or seven games, we will see some changes in the roster, but best believe the New York Knicks and their fan base will take losing to the Celtics in stride. New York is a prideful city with high expectations.
Despite the Knicks’ struggle to defeat the Detroit Pistons in a close series that ended 4-2, the average Knicks fan is unlikely to feel concerned. It’s often easier for them to overlook the difficulty of beating a mid-range team like Detroit and instead focus on the fact that they won the series. Knicks fans are full of hope at the moment. Their spirits are up as well as their confidence, but once the Celtics knock them out in the second round, the same fans who can be heard praising this team today will be trying to get them traded next week.
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