The NBA playoffs have turned into a revolution. After a first round without many surprises, the first four games of the conference semifinals were won by the visiting teams. In the East, the Pacers and the Knicks set a historic 0-2 against the Cavaliers and the Celtics, the top two teams in the regular season. The champions were against the ropes (no team has ever survived a 0-3 deficit) and visited Madison Square Garden. After missing 75 three-pointers in the first two games, the Celtics rose from the ashes to escape the abyss (93-115).
They did it in New York, amidst an extraordinary atmosphere in the stands and all the glamour of the front rows. And although there are still many chapters to be written in Tom Thibodeau's warriors' performance (in over 85% of the occasions when a team fell 0-2 in the playoffs, they managed to advance to the next round), at least they managed to recover both their shooting accuracy and confidence.
This time they did not squander a 20-point lead, as they did in each of the initial games at TD Garden. Coming back from halftime, they were leading by over 30 points (79-48), a reward for their regained accuracy. Three-point shooting is the hallmark of the Mazzula's team. They live and die by the perimeter. Against the Knicks, they missed 45 on the first night (a record) and another 30 in the second game. They were not going to stop shooting. But this time with accuracy: six of their first seven attempts went in.
The champions were dominant, with advantages from the start, when Mitchell Robinson continued to make his missed free throws go viral without touching the rim. The Knicks, who have not played in a Conference final in 25 years, could not get close all afternoon in the Big Apple (conceding 71 points by halftime), even though Jalen Brunson was once again their standout player: finishing with 27 points and seven assists. The Celtics were led by Jayson Tatum, silencing the critics: 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. The Boston team ended up shooting 20 out of 40 from three-point range (50%) and two supporting players were also key. Pritchard, the best sixth man of the season, finished with 23 points. And the veteran Al Horford, excellent in defense, contributed with 15 points and eight rebounds.
The fourth game will be once again at Madison Square Garden.