Celtics at Knicks
THE STORY: The New York Knicks are physically battered and facing a must-win situation when they host the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series on Friday. Boston won the first two games of the series and New York enters the pivotal third game facing the possibility of being without two of its top three players. Guard Chauncey Billups is questionable with a knee injury and forward Amar’e Stoudemire is day-to-day after back spasms prompted an early exit during Tuesday’s contest. The Knicks are playing their first home playoff game in nearly seven years as they seek a victory that would get them back into the series. Boston prevailed 96-93 on Tuesday as Kevin Garnett made the decisive basket and followed up with a key steal on the defensive end. Ray Allen hit the game-winning 3-pointer in the Celtics’ series-opening win.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN, MSG.
ABOUT THE KNICKS: Carmelo Anthony put on a terrific one-man show after Stoudemire missed the second half with his injured back. Anthony had 42 points, four shy of Bernard King's playoff franchise record, and added 17 rebounds. Toney Douglas replaced Billups at point guard and had 14 points but made just five of 16 shots. Billups’ absence was more pronounced on the defensive end as Douglas was torched often by Boston’s Rajon Rondo. Guard Landry Fields has been a complete nonfactor, totaling just four points on 2-of-7 shooting over the first two games.
ABOUT THE CELTICS: Boston’s two victories have come by a combined five points, primarily because the highly experienced Celtics have responded with the clutch plays down the stretch. Allen hit the game-winning 3-point shot in the opener and Garnett made the big plays on both ends of the floor in Game 2. Rondo set a personal playoff-high with 30 points while Paul Pierce scored 20 points and Allen added 18. Center Shaquille O’Neal (calf) won’t play Friday but coach Doc Rivers said there’s a chance O’Neal could return for Sunday’s Game 4. Jermaine O’Neal was unable to follow up his sterling Game 1 performance (12 points on 6-of-6 shooting) with a second solid outing, totaling just two points.
WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Allen is averaging 21 points and has hit on 7 of 9 3-point attempts through two games. New York guard Bill Walker missed all 11 of his field-goal attempts in Game 2, including five 3-point attempts.
KEY STATISTIC: Rondo (13 of 23) and Allen (6 of 8) combined to make 61.3 percent of their shots in Game 2.
LAST WORD: “We’re doing great. The Celtics didn’t do anything special. They won two games on their homecourt. Now it’s our turn to go on our homecourt and try to do the same thing.” – Anthony on the Knicks’ 2-0 series deficit.