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Following a brutal loss to the New York Knicks, the Boston Celtics are down 0-1. They have only one more game at home before the series shifts to New York.
In Game 1, the Celtics blew a 20-point lead while missing 45 3-pointers, an NBA playoff record. This is out of character for the Celtics, who set the NBA record for most 3-pointers made in a season with 1,457 on a 36.8% clip. An embarrassing outing for a team that many players believe is going to win its second-straight championship.
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins has little hope for the Celtics should they lose Game Two in TD Garden. "You're damn right it's a must-win," said the former Celtic. "You can't afford to go down 0-2 against the Knicks, drop two straight in the crib and expect to go to Madison Square Garden and think things are going to be sweet."
He continued by praising the Knicks, saying they have guys who can get the job done, naming Jalen Brunson, who had 29 points in game one. He warns his former team that disrespecting their opponent by approaching this series as an easy win is dangerous.
Perkins doubled down on his point by saying, "If you go down 0-2, this series is over with."
The Celtics are missing starting center Kristaps Porzingis, who left after only 13 minutes in game one due to an illness, and Sam Hauser, who suffered an ankle sprain in the same game.
Neither player has been given a definitive return date, but both are considered day-to-day according to head coach Joe Mazzulla.
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It's hard to imagine the Celtics won't try to respond in game two. They are the defending champions and boast one of the most talented rosters in the league. With their historically bad shooting performance now behind them, the Celtics will look to bounce back in Game Two on Wednesday.
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