The Knicks are One Sad Basketball Team

Credit to the Knicks, after getting absolutely embarrassed by the Celtics on their home floor Sunday afternoon, they came to Boston tonight and found a new and different painful way to lose to one of their biggest rivals. Sure the C's (11-14 overall, 6-6 home) blew a 17-point lead earlier in the game but that was nothing compared to New York (6-16 overall, 3-8 away) choking away an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter in an eventual 90-86 loss at TD Garden.

Who could blame Knicks head coach Mike Woodson for looking like a defeated man for most of the night. Apparently he'll be able to keep his job until Tyson Chandler comes back but honestly, will his return even matter? Through bad contracts, ineffective, old and/or injured players plus being centered around perhaps the most one-dimensional and overrated player in the NBA-Carmelo Anthony (26 points)-means that New York is likely stuck in this predicament for a long time.

These teams meet twice more, the next time is January 28 at Madison Square Garden. Is there any chance Woodson will be paid to be there too? The Celts are basically the anti-Knicks: no stars (without Rajon Rondo), few egos, unselfish play and they at least attempt to give defense a whirl plus they have a coach that is constantly learning on the job.

Jared Sullinger (19 points, 6 rebounds) led four players in double figures for the Green; Avery Bradley had 13 points and six assists, Brandon Bass notched 10 points and eight rebounds while Courtney Lee was a real spark off the bench with 18 points (3 for 3 on 3-pointers).

New York's big acquisition Andrea Bargnani put up 22 points and seven rebounds but where did that get them? Amar'e Stoudemire (18 points, 5 rebounds off the bench) has actually played pretty well recently but that still doesn't come close to justifying his Looney Tunes contract.

Boston led 29-26 after the first quarter and 54-48 at halftime. New York went ahead with a strong third quarter (25-14) but their fourth was typically pathetic (outscored 22-13). The Celtics shot 8.5% better from the field (48.5-40), they blocked four more shots (5-1) and scored 11 more fast break points (14-3).

This is a sweet spot in the Celtics' schedule as they are in the midst of a five-game homestand with three more on tap beginning with Monday (7:30, CSN) vs. Kevin Love and the Timberwolves (11-12, 4th in Northwest Division). He had an amazing performance (42 points, 14 rebounds, 8 3-pointers) but it wasn't enough as Minnesota fell 117-110 at San Antonio this evening to fall back under .500. At some point, the Timberwolves are going to be good, right?

Tonight snapped a two-game losing streak for Boston and with Minnesota, Detroit and Washington all coming to town next week, this unfortunately could be the start of another win-streak. Other than Brooklyn, who else is going to challenge them in the putrid Atlantic Division this season?

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Rondo's Triple-Double Can't Help The Celtics Avoid Another Loss, 89-86 To The Knicks

We keep waiting for the Celtics to dig themselves out of this ever expanding hole but so far, they can't do anything about it. Boston (20-22, 13-9 home) lost 89-86 to New York (26-14, 12-8 away) tonight at TD Garden in a game that they desperately needed to win.

The Knicks had lost 11 straight games at the Garden, their last win was way back in 2006. This was Boston's five straight loss (on the heels of a six-game win streak no less) which ties their roughest patch in the Kevin Garnett era (8 points, 12 rebounds).

The scene was all set for the C's to get a victory: a national audience (TNT) which always pushes Rajon Rondo (23 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, 3 steals) that extra amount. The problem was that despite his 27th career triple-double (20th on national TV), he still made some careless turnovers. It was a team-wide virus too since Jason Terry and Paul Pierce (22 points, 6 rebounds) both had killer turnovers late in the fourth quarter when the Celtics had to rally.

It's hard to say what is causing all this temporary lack of focus or attention to detail but it's clear that the margin of error for Boston is so thin at the moment that blunders like that always seem to cost them this season.

Carmelo Anthony had a game-high 28 points, nine rebounds and two steals. Jason Kidd put up 12 points and three steals while Iman Shumpert added 10 points and five rebounds. Amar'e Stoudemire checked in with 15 points, nine rebounds and two blocks off the bench. J.R. Smith (3 for 16 from the field) was mostly awful but even he managed to knock down a clutch 3-pointer. The same can't be said for Terry (1-for-6), who looked completely lost in his worst game as a Celtic.

Everybody knows that New York takes and hits an absurd amount of 3-pointers. On this night, it was the main reason that they ended up winning. The Knicks hit five more 3-pointers (8-3) than the Celtics, the only statistic that was really in their favor.

There is no reason for the Celts to feel sorry for themselves since they are probably already in Atlanta. They play the Hawks (24-18, 2nd Southeast Division) tomorrow night (7:30 p.m., CSN) in what could be termed another must-win. When we last saw Atlanta, Boston rallied for an impressive 89-81 win on January 5. They often find ways to lose but the Hawks usually make it tough on the Celtics with close games.

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They Might Have A Worse Record Than Them But The Celtics Still Own The Knicks

You wouldn't think a Celtics-Knicks game on a Monday in early January would get the blood pumping but that's exactly what happened as the events at Madison Square Garden were much more interesting than Alabama's 42-14 pasting of Notre Dame in the BCS Championship game.

Playing without Rajon Rondo, who was suspended for a game after making contact with a referee in Atlanta on Saturday, Boston (17-17, 7-11 away) still found a way to hold off New York (23-11, 13-4 home) 102-96 in their first of four meetings in the regular season.

Paul Pierce led the Celts with 23 points and six assists, Kevin Garnett had 19 points, 10 rebounds and three steals while Avery Bradley (13 points, 5 assists) played like himself from last season. Jeff Green put up 16 points and six rebounds off the bench and Jared Sullinger had 10 points and five rebounds as Boston won its third straight game-all against Eastern Conference playoff teams.

J.R. Smith had 24 points off the bench for the Knicks. Carmelo Anthony scored 20 points but he shot a putrid 6 of 26 from the field. Tyson Chandler added 13 points and 17 rebounds while Amar'e Stoudermire notched 13 points as a substitute.

The weird subplot is that KG and Melo got tangled up during the game in the fourth quarter (both earning technicals) and it apparently carried over to afterwards as Anthony tried to confront Garnett by Boston's team bus. Haha really dude? Luckily, there was about 1000 people there to make sure nothing actually happened.

This had the look and feel of a playoff game, right down to the scoreboard. Zing! The Celtics led 22-21 after the first quarter but the Knicks wrestled slight control away with a 56-53 halftime advantage. Boston's defense took over in the third quarter (23-16) and they were able to hang on in the fourth (26-24).

The Celtics won because they shot so well from the field (52.7%) and held the Knicks to 40.8%. The only reason New York made a game of it was because they hit eight more 3-pointers (14-6). No Rondo but Boston still had seven more assists (26-19) and 12 more points in the paint (40-28).

After we all left the C's for dead last week-rightfully so-they have certainly turned things around. They have the potential to go on a nice run here as the schedule really works out in their favor: their next five games are all at home. Only two of them are against playoff caliber teams (Rockets, Bulls) while the other three are cupcakes (Suns, Bobcats, Hornets).

Boston hosts Phoenix (12-23, 5th in Pacific Division) on Wednesday night (7:30 p.m., CSN) in their first of two meetings this season.

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This is why the Celtics are damn good

There were a million reasons why the Boston Celtics should have lost to the New York Knicks last night at Madison Square Garden.

Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal were out, Rajon Rondo sprained his ankle badly and oh by the way, with Amar'e Stoudemire (39 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks) the Knicks (16-10) are a legitimate team for the first time in more than a decade.

New York showed why they came in riding an 8-game winning steak as they led virtually the entire game. However, when it counted (are you listening Bruins?) Paul Pierce (32 points, 10 rebounds) hit a patented jumper over Stoudemire with 0.4 seconds left giving Boston (20-4) a 118-116 win, their 11th straight victory.

Sure Stoudemire hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer but even Spike Lee (who has suddenly reappeared now that the Knicks are relevant again) couldn't possibly believe his new boy could hoist a shot in 0.4 seconds, it's impossible!

So there we go, the Celtics survived and it was thanks to their veteran moxie oozing from Kevin Garnett (20 points, 13 rebounds), Ray Allen (26 points), Rondo (10 points, 14 assists) and Glen Davis (11 points). Even Nate Robinson (9 points) made some plays in his return to MSG, but undoubtedly his most lasting contribution will be the face plant he took after he jumped on Pierce following the Truth's game-winner.

Since they've been down for so long, it is honestly nice to see the Knicks be important again in the NBA. New York is a great basketball city and they deserve a worthy franchise, not the smoldering wreck they've been for the last decade.

Stoudemire's MVP caliber play has led to the emergence of Raymond Felton (26 points, 14 assists) and Wilson Chandler (18 points, 12 rebounds). Danillo Gallinari is also a budding star, dropping all 20 of his points in the second half.

New York led 32-24 after one quarter after a hot start and 58-51 at halftime after Felton's running 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Both teams scored 32 points in the third quarter and the Celts got it done in the fourth quarter (35-26).

The Knicks shot 53.1% to the Celtics' 52.3%. New York hit more 3-pointers (9-7) and they each hit 21 free throws. Boston had four more rebounds (39-35), seven more assists (26-19) and six more steals (11-5).

The only thing that will hold New York back is their allergy to defense. Sure Mike Dantoni's style is fun to watch but when they get to the playoffs, it's been proven time and again that tempo doesn't work (Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors).

Bad news today that Rondo could be out for weeks with the ankle sprain. The Celts host the Hawks tonight in a TNT game.