The Knicks avoided a Game 7 in their series with the Pistons after a nail-biting game in Detroit. The Knicks won the game 116-113 after Jalen Brunson led the offensive charge with 40 points and dropped a dagger 3-point shot to break the tie with less than five seconds left in the game.
Following the end of the game, on TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA’ show, Shaquille O’Neal expressed his views on how the Knicks should proceed from here. He explained what they need to do to beat the defending champions, the Celtics, in the upcoming second-round matchup.
“I said in pregame, you know, growing up being a fan, you watch the superstars do great things. And Brunson showed us what a superstar looks like tonight. Now he has his hands full. But if he can play like this four out of seven or just four games, where he can give me 35 to 40 points, they have a chance.”, said Shaq.
“But I agree with Jalen (Rose). If the Celtics are healthy, the way they’re playing, they have the blueprint. They know what it takes. So you know Jalen (Brunson) is going to have to play great. And Anunoby is going to have to play great. Kat’s going to have to be dominant. No up-and-down games. He’s going to have to be 25-26 for them to have a chance to win. Brunson had to just win a game. You want to really compete and say, okay, we can beat the Celtics”, concluded Shaq.
What Does This Mean For The Knicks Going Up Against Jayson Tatum, Celtics?
The last time the Knicks won a championship was over 50 years ago (in 1973). And the last time the Knicks even made it to the Eastern Conference Finals was 25 years ago in 2000, when even Shaquille O’Neal was playing in his prime (when the Knicks lost 4-2 to the Pacers). Therefore, a lot of hopes are riding on Jalen Brunson, Karl Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby’s shoulders.
This is arguably the best roster the Knicks have assembled since Carmelo Anthony left the team. Anthony was the last Knicks player to lead them in a Playoff series win over the Celtics (in 2013). The last time these two teams met in the Playoffs, the Knicks won the series 4-2 with a masterclass from Anthony. However, in their head-to-head matchups in the Playoffs history, the Celtics have a slight advantage. These two teams have faced each other 67 times in the Playoffs, in which the Celtics have won 36 games and the Knicks have won 31.
It also marks the homecoming of the Knicks’ 2015 draft pick, Kristaps Porzingis, who may have no love lost for the team that drafted him. This series may eventually come down to individual matchups. Jalen Brunson will likely guard Jaylen Brown, OG Anunoby will likely go up against Jayson Tatum, and Karl Anthony Towns will in all probability matchup with Kristaps Porzingis.
We anticipate a very neck-to-neck series, with the defending champions having a slight edge due to their experience in this position. My prediction is that the Celtics will win this series in 7 games.
