Celtics 96 Knicks 86: Running On Empty at the End, Again
It was another one of those Celtics-Knicks games...the ones where the Celtics eventually assert themselves and dominate in late game execution, Paul Pierce takes over, and the Knicks make just enough mistakes to hang themselves. This one was exciting for three and a half quarters and more physical than the last Celtic encounter at MSG...also a lot less artful, with all the new faces on both teams since the trade deadline. There was blood. But the result was no less inevitable than any of the other games.
The Knicks were especially strong in the first half - Anthony, Stoudemire and Billups combined for 38 points, while the entire Celtic team had 37. It was a dreadful half of Celtic basketball reminiscent of last year's indifferent march to the playoffs -- the only thing missing was Rasheed Wallace launching up some ill-advised three pointers and getting a technical. The new look Celtic bench didn't even score for the first 4 and a half minutes of the 2nd quarter, and Jeff Green and Big Baby Davis combined to miss 8 of 10 shots. The Celtics had only 4 assists, while the Knicks had 12 assists and only 4 turnovers. Ronny Turiaf started and looked the best he's looked since the early part of the season when he started at center.
And yet there was a sense that it was fool's gold for the Knicks. The Celtics had good looking shots in the first half, they were getting to the basket, but the shots simply weren't going in, and the team wasn't moving the ball. In the second half, Boston came out with greater intensity on defense and knocked the Knicks back. All the Knicks got in the first five minutes of the third quarter was a Turiaf three point play, while the Celtics started getting much more fluid offense.
After giving up 18 points in the first five and a half minutes of the third, the Knicks deserve credit for clamping down and putting forth some of their best effort on defense in the game. They only gave up nine points in the next six minutes, got some very good minutes from Jeffries, Mason, and Douglas (especially after both Amare and Carmelo had to sit out the final minutes of the third), and looked poised to extend the Knick lead going into the final period. But perhaps the most critical momentum turn came with 26 seconds left in the third when Mason missed a jumper and Jeffries got a loose ball foul fighting for an offensive rebound, which produced two Davis FTs. Immediately after, Douglas turned the ball over when the Knicks were holding for a final shot, and Jeffries tripped Rondo heading upcourt, incurring a clear path foul. The Celtics ended up with five points in the final 26 seconds and the Knicks none, meaning what could have been a nine or 11 point Knick lead shrunk to six.
In the fourth, the Knicks made one last stand, led by Billups and Anthony. They got a three from Chauncey, two FTs from Carmelo after a drive, a terrific cross court pass from Carmelo to Douglas after a post up that led to a TD floater, and a four point play from Chauncey with 7:26 left to make it 82-73 Knicks. But the ship was already springing leaks on both ends of the floor, and the sinking was swift thereafter. Garnett re-entered the game and he and Pierce took over, shutting down Carmelo and Amare and scoring authoritatively on their end. The Knick offense got more frantic and chaotic in trying to find a good look for anyone, the ball movement lost all logic, any decent shot attempt was contested, and the Celtics started leaking out in transition and beating the Knicks' tired legs down the court by yards.
The Celtics scored 23 of the game's final 27 points, and it could have been even worse if Ray Allen had not had such a rough shooting night (missing 11 of 16 shots). It didn't have to be quite this ugly, but for the third straight game (and fourth in the last five), late game execution was problematic. The Knicks were outrebounded 25-16 in the second half, missed 9 of 12 3 pointers, turned the ball over nine times, and had 8 assists -- none in the final four minutes after the Knicks made their final basket to get the lead down to 86-84.
Game Notes:
* What's Up With B-B-B-BILLUPS? The Knicks' issues with chemistry and execution have become so popular in the Age of the SuperTeam that every media outlet -- not just the obvious tabloids, but even more measured outlets like ESPN and the New York Times -- have assigned a hit man/psychoanalyst type to tackle such hard-hitting issues like the winning makeup of Carmelo Anthony and the lineups and coaching philosophy of Mike D'Antoni. Far be it from me to get in the way of the fun, but in D'Antoni's point guard and ball-movement centric system, I would think the point guards should get a little more scrutiny.
And the reality is that the Knicks have lost 5 of 6 since the return of Billups from his thigh bruise, and look like a much less confident team than the one that beat Miami, gave Orlando a tough game at their court, and continued to win without Billups before crashing unceremoniously in Dallas. Here's a summary of Billups' fourth quarter production before and after the injury -- for simplicity's sake, I've focused on basic offensive production:
Note how in his first four games, Billups got to the line much more, and in two of the games, he had a greater variety of baskets -- not every FG attempt was a three pointer. He also had one turnover across four fourth quarters, pretty remarkable for the first four games with a new team, all of them closely contested in the final minutes.
In the games since returning from the injury, he takes fewer shots, the majority of them being three pointers, presumably because he doesn't have the ability to push past defenders for drives the way he did pre-injury. He doesn't get to the line the way he did his first four games, even against poorer opposition, and there's a slight tendency to commit more fouls -- he fouled out against Milwaukee after playing only 4 minutes in the last quarter. He's also much more turnover prone, and the turnovers have a habit of being fatally timed -- the ones at Indiana, at Detroit, and last night against Boston were almost all back breakers that led to immediate scores on the other end.
Not only is this diminished production hampering the late game offense, it also seems to be affecting his abiliity to get his star teammates optimal scoring opportunities. Billups has had trouble finding Amare on the pick and roll, and in general he isn't making great decisions in traffic when the opponents' defense is bearing down in the final quarter.
Some fans have proposed giving Toney Douglas his starting position "back" since TD's production has fluctuated wildly since returning to the bench, but Billups still gives the team more positives with his experience, and in his defense, his reaction time on the court and general mobility gradually seems to be improving with every game. He's likely to remain the starter unless there's another injury or other setback. But If people are wondering why the Knicks are struggling, Billups' uphill climb toward his previous form is a big reason. It isn't Carmelo Anthony's tragic flaw of self-absorption, even if that makes for better headlines.
* Absent Shooters Cripple the Offense: Another issue that's become apparent as the injuries mount (latest: Shawne Williams' shooting hand) is how one-dimensional the Knicks become when they can't find shooters (beyond Carmelo and Amare) to produce off the bench or in the final minutes of close games. Douglas' production was a huge part of wins against Milwaukee, Utah, New Orleans and both Memphis games; Shawne Williams' corner threes have also been a big part of the Knicks' best runs in wins and losses. Both TD and Shawne were largely ineffective against Boston and Milwaukee and the Pacer loss at home. Roger Mason has given the Knicks some good moments here and there, but he and Bill Walker are even less consistent than their teammates.
* Turiaf and Jeffries Trying To Regain Form: I've been a very big advocate of both Turiaf and Jeffries on this blog as defensive role players, and both in different ways have met my expectations and disappointed me in different degrees. Turiaf's big issue is health; Jeffries' issue is that he still seems rusty after a year of inactivity, and it's possible age has slowed him a little as well. He was earning 30+ minutes with a poorer Knick team last year and making more of an impact. He still has at least a few good moments every game -- he was the only defender who could stand up Garnett in the post (likewise with Bogut and Zach Randolph in previous games) without immediately fouling, but he's also a tad slower to loose balls and blocks compared to his best moments last season.
The latest word on Turiaf is that he's going to be the starter for the immediate future. I've always supported this, but as I've mentioned before on this blog, I have to hold my breath and hope his knee or some other ailment doesn't act up. Even a healthy Turiaf doesn't address the rebounding issues, as Turiaf is a poor rebounder for his position. But he's always been the best option next to Amare as long as he's healthy.
* Carmelo Anthony as Point Forward: With the point guard issues and general offensive cohesiveness an ongoing issue, the Knicks have tried having Carmelo Anthony bring the ball up and set up his own offense as a springboard to getting himself the best opportunities *and* finding teammates when he draws double or triple teams. This happens most commonly in the 3rd or early 4th quarters when he's playing with the second unit, to get around the issues Douglas has with finding him in the post, and to give the offense a different look. It's looked good -- Anthony seems to be a better passer when he starts with the ball early in a possession -- though it does slow the offense down as Melo has a more deliberate way of sizing up the defense. I'd like to see if the coaching staff can extend this to have him work with Amare more -- right now, it's used strictly when it's just Carmelo and the role players on the floor.
A badly needed day of rest is on tap today, and then the Knicks face Orlando in the make-up of the asbestos game. Ironically, the Knicks have the Pacers to "thank" for plunging them into their current malaise (with the two wins to start this Knick losing spell) and simultaneously relieving them of greater pressure by playing so poorly in March that the Knicks aren't feeling greater playoff pressure. But the upcoming games against the Magic and Bucks are the closest this team has come to "must" wins as the issue of confidence and increasingly distracting media scrutiny becomes greater with every loss. What the coaching staff does to reinstate a sense of order and composure in the team's execution after this spell of chaos will be something to look out for.
The Knicks were especially strong in the first half - Anthony, Stoudemire and Billups combined for 38 points, while the entire Celtic team had 37. It was a dreadful half of Celtic basketball reminiscent of last year's indifferent march to the playoffs -- the only thing missing was Rasheed Wallace launching up some ill-advised three pointers and getting a technical. The new look Celtic bench didn't even score for the first 4 and a half minutes of the 2nd quarter, and Jeff Green and Big Baby Davis combined to miss 8 of 10 shots. The Celtics had only 4 assists, while the Knicks had 12 assists and only 4 turnovers. Ronny Turiaf started and looked the best he's looked since the early part of the season when he started at center.
And yet there was a sense that it was fool's gold for the Knicks. The Celtics had good looking shots in the first half, they were getting to the basket, but the shots simply weren't going in, and the team wasn't moving the ball. In the second half, Boston came out with greater intensity on defense and knocked the Knicks back. All the Knicks got in the first five minutes of the third quarter was a Turiaf three point play, while the Celtics started getting much more fluid offense.
After giving up 18 points in the first five and a half minutes of the third, the Knicks deserve credit for clamping down and putting forth some of their best effort on defense in the game. They only gave up nine points in the next six minutes, got some very good minutes from Jeffries, Mason, and Douglas (especially after both Amare and Carmelo had to sit out the final minutes of the third), and looked poised to extend the Knick lead going into the final period. But perhaps the most critical momentum turn came with 26 seconds left in the third when Mason missed a jumper and Jeffries got a loose ball foul fighting for an offensive rebound, which produced two Davis FTs. Immediately after, Douglas turned the ball over when the Knicks were holding for a final shot, and Jeffries tripped Rondo heading upcourt, incurring a clear path foul. The Celtics ended up with five points in the final 26 seconds and the Knicks none, meaning what could have been a nine or 11 point Knick lead shrunk to six.
In the fourth, the Knicks made one last stand, led by Billups and Anthony. They got a three from Chauncey, two FTs from Carmelo after a drive, a terrific cross court pass from Carmelo to Douglas after a post up that led to a TD floater, and a four point play from Chauncey with 7:26 left to make it 82-73 Knicks. But the ship was already springing leaks on both ends of the floor, and the sinking was swift thereafter. Garnett re-entered the game and he and Pierce took over, shutting down Carmelo and Amare and scoring authoritatively on their end. The Knick offense got more frantic and chaotic in trying to find a good look for anyone, the ball movement lost all logic, any decent shot attempt was contested, and the Celtics started leaking out in transition and beating the Knicks' tired legs down the court by yards.
The Celtics scored 23 of the game's final 27 points, and it could have been even worse if Ray Allen had not had such a rough shooting night (missing 11 of 16 shots). It didn't have to be quite this ugly, but for the third straight game (and fourth in the last five), late game execution was problematic. The Knicks were outrebounded 25-16 in the second half, missed 9 of 12 3 pointers, turned the ball over nine times, and had 8 assists -- none in the final four minutes after the Knicks made their final basket to get the lead down to 86-84.
Game Notes:
* What's Up With B-B-B-BILLUPS? The Knicks' issues with chemistry and execution have become so popular in the Age of the SuperTeam that every media outlet -- not just the obvious tabloids, but even more measured outlets like ESPN and the New York Times -- have assigned a hit man/psychoanalyst type to tackle such hard-hitting issues like the winning makeup of Carmelo Anthony and the lineups and coaching philosophy of Mike D'Antoni. Far be it from me to get in the way of the fun, but in D'Antoni's point guard and ball-movement centric system, I would think the point guards should get a little more scrutiny.
And the reality is that the Knicks have lost 5 of 6 since the return of Billups from his thigh bruise, and look like a much less confident team than the one that beat Miami, gave Orlando a tough game at their court, and continued to win without Billups before crashing unceremoniously in Dallas. Here's a summary of Billups' fourth quarter production before and after the injury -- for simplicity's sake, I've focused on basic offensive production:
| Opponent | Fourth Quarter Production | Plus/Minus | Game Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Injury | Chauncey Billups | ||
| MIL | 0-1 FGs, 0-1 3PTs, 6-6 FTs, 2 AST | plus 3 | W 114-108 |
| CLE | 4-7 FGs, 1-2 3PTs, 9-10 FTs, 2 AST, 1 PF | plus 7 | L 115-109 |
| MIA | 3-5 FGs, 1-2 FTs, 1 TO | plus 10 | W 89-86 |
| ORL | 0-1 FGS, 0-1 3PTs, 10-10 FTs, 1 PF | minus 7 | L 110-106 |
| Post-Injury | |||
| IND | 0-2 FGs, 0-1 3PTs, 1 AST, 2 TO, 2 PF | minus 3 | L 106-93 |
| IND | 0-1 FGs, 0-1 3PTs, 1 AST, 3 TO | minus 4 | L 119-117 |
| MEM | 2 ASTs, 1 PF | plus 5 | W 120-99 |
| DET | 1-3 FGs, 1-3 3PTs, 1 AST, 1 TO | minus 7 | L 99-95 |
| MIL | 0-2 FGs, 0-1 3PTs, 3 PFs | plus 1 | L 100-95 |
| BOS | 3-4 FGs, 2-3 3PTs, 3-3 FTs, 2 TO, 1 PF | minus 16 | L 96-86 |
Note how in his first four games, Billups got to the line much more, and in two of the games, he had a greater variety of baskets -- not every FG attempt was a three pointer. He also had one turnover across four fourth quarters, pretty remarkable for the first four games with a new team, all of them closely contested in the final minutes.
In the games since returning from the injury, he takes fewer shots, the majority of them being three pointers, presumably because he doesn't have the ability to push past defenders for drives the way he did pre-injury. He doesn't get to the line the way he did his first four games, even against poorer opposition, and there's a slight tendency to commit more fouls -- he fouled out against Milwaukee after playing only 4 minutes in the last quarter. He's also much more turnover prone, and the turnovers have a habit of being fatally timed -- the ones at Indiana, at Detroit, and last night against Boston were almost all back breakers that led to immediate scores on the other end.
Not only is this diminished production hampering the late game offense, it also seems to be affecting his abiliity to get his star teammates optimal scoring opportunities. Billups has had trouble finding Amare on the pick and roll, and in general he isn't making great decisions in traffic when the opponents' defense is bearing down in the final quarter.
Some fans have proposed giving Toney Douglas his starting position "back" since TD's production has fluctuated wildly since returning to the bench, but Billups still gives the team more positives with his experience, and in his defense, his reaction time on the court and general mobility gradually seems to be improving with every game. He's likely to remain the starter unless there's another injury or other setback. But If people are wondering why the Knicks are struggling, Billups' uphill climb toward his previous form is a big reason. It isn't Carmelo Anthony's tragic flaw of self-absorption, even if that makes for better headlines.
* Absent Shooters Cripple the Offense: Another issue that's become apparent as the injuries mount (latest: Shawne Williams' shooting hand) is how one-dimensional the Knicks become when they can't find shooters (beyond Carmelo and Amare) to produce off the bench or in the final minutes of close games. Douglas' production was a huge part of wins against Milwaukee, Utah, New Orleans and both Memphis games; Shawne Williams' corner threes have also been a big part of the Knicks' best runs in wins and losses. Both TD and Shawne were largely ineffective against Boston and Milwaukee and the Pacer loss at home. Roger Mason has given the Knicks some good moments here and there, but he and Bill Walker are even less consistent than their teammates.
* Turiaf and Jeffries Trying To Regain Form: I've been a very big advocate of both Turiaf and Jeffries on this blog as defensive role players, and both in different ways have met my expectations and disappointed me in different degrees. Turiaf's big issue is health; Jeffries' issue is that he still seems rusty after a year of inactivity, and it's possible age has slowed him a little as well. He was earning 30+ minutes with a poorer Knick team last year and making more of an impact. He still has at least a few good moments every game -- he was the only defender who could stand up Garnett in the post (likewise with Bogut and Zach Randolph in previous games) without immediately fouling, but he's also a tad slower to loose balls and blocks compared to his best moments last season.
The latest word on Turiaf is that he's going to be the starter for the immediate future. I've always supported this, but as I've mentioned before on this blog, I have to hold my breath and hope his knee or some other ailment doesn't act up. Even a healthy Turiaf doesn't address the rebounding issues, as Turiaf is a poor rebounder for his position. But he's always been the best option next to Amare as long as he's healthy.
* Carmelo Anthony as Point Forward: With the point guard issues and general offensive cohesiveness an ongoing issue, the Knicks have tried having Carmelo Anthony bring the ball up and set up his own offense as a springboard to getting himself the best opportunities *and* finding teammates when he draws double or triple teams. This happens most commonly in the 3rd or early 4th quarters when he's playing with the second unit, to get around the issues Douglas has with finding him in the post, and to give the offense a different look. It's looked good -- Anthony seems to be a better passer when he starts with the ball early in a possession -- though it does slow the offense down as Melo has a more deliberate way of sizing up the defense. I'd like to see if the coaching staff can extend this to have him work with Amare more -- right now, it's used strictly when it's just Carmelo and the role players on the floor.
A badly needed day of rest is on tap today, and then the Knicks face Orlando in the make-up of the asbestos game. Ironically, the Knicks have the Pacers to "thank" for plunging them into their current malaise (with the two wins to start this Knick losing spell) and simultaneously relieving them of greater pressure by playing so poorly in March that the Knicks aren't feeling greater playoff pressure. But the upcoming games against the Magic and Bucks are the closest this team has come to "must" wins as the issue of confidence and increasingly distracting media scrutiny becomes greater with every loss. What the coaching staff does to reinstate a sense of order and composure in the team's execution after this spell of chaos will be something to look out for.
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