15 hours ago
2
However the second-round series with the Celtics ends, Game 1 in Boston will go down as one of the Knicks’ greatest moments of the past 50 years.
(Just look at how much mileage John Starks has gotten out of “The Dunk,” despite it preceding four straight losses to the Bulls in the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals).
The Knicks deserved Game 1, clawing back from a 20-point second-half deficit behind defensive grit and timely shooting. But they were also fortunate to leave TD Garden with a win, stealing a game the Celtics could have ended long before overtime.
Game 2 will be the Knicks’ toughest test of the season. Vegas is banking on an emotional letdown and a return to the regular-season results, installing the Knicks as 10.5-point underdogs while keeping the Celtics a healthy favorite (-370) in the series. The defending champs haven’t lost consecutive games since February and haven’t lost back-to-back games of a homestand since March 2023.
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