Boston Bounces Back

These two teams have now played seven times this season. The Celtics have led by at least 20 points in six of the seven games. The Knicks have led by more than six points in just one contest.

Final Score: Knicks 93 - Boston 115
Record: 2-1

The Knicks knew that if they kept playing fire, eventually they'd get burned. Well, Saturday afternoon inside MSG, Boston torched New York.

After NY pulled off a pair of miraculous 20-point comebacks in the series' first two games, the Celtics kept their foot on the Knicks' throats throughout Game 3.

After shooting just 25-for-100 from three-point range inside the TD Garden, the Celts made their first four triple tries and finished the contest converting 20 of their 40 attempts from behind the arc at MSG.

After struggling mightily at home, the dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown got back on track in New York, racking up a combined 41 points, 15 rebounds, 12 assists and seven 3PT's.

One of the primary reasons the Knicks kept Boston's offense in check and snatched the first two games of the series was their constant switching on defense, which limited the number of clean looks the C's got. However, they either abandoned that strategy in Game 3 or the players failed to execute the game plan.

As the Celtics made their way down the I-95 corridor to NYC after Wednesday's humiliating defeat, they had some cracks in their confidence. Fans from Beantown to Brooklyn spent two full days discussing Boston's inability to make shots as they choked away home-court advantage. The media pepper the C's stars and thier head coach about this unprecedented and untimely slump. If the Knicks could jump out to an early lead Saturday afternoon, the pressure on the defending champs would increase exponentially.

Instead, New York gave the road team life by allowing them to get on track early on. Ninety seconds into the contest, Karl-Anthony Towns was a step slow closing out on Al Horford, who sank the game's first three-pointer. A minute later, Horford set a pick on Josh Hart at the top of the key, and, inexplicably, Towns was in deep drop coverage, allowing Brown to step into a wide-open triple.

Two possessions later, Horford set a screen for Tatum, and Towns had two feet in the paint as Tatum comfortably knocked down a wide-open three-pointer.

Towns playing deep drop was a major factor in Boston's demolition of New York during the regular season, and, for some reason, it was back on display in the first half of Game 3. Halfway through the first quarter, after Derrick White drilled a three-pointer of his own, Boston had a double-digit advantage.

By the end of the second quarter, the Celts had raced out to a commanding 71-46 lead. They were 12-of-19 from downtown in the first half.

Here are all 12 of their makes (notice the common denominator):

While the C's offense was clicking on all cylinders, the Knicks were stuck in the mud Saturday afternoon. New York was just 5-of-25 from downtown and missed 11 of their 35 free throws. Game 3 was the first time in franchise history that the Knicks shot 20% or worse from the 3PT range (min 15+ attempts) and below 70% from the FT line in a playoff game.

New York did a better job on both ends of the floor in the second half (less switching and more hunting 3PTs of their own), but the damage had been done.

This has been a theme throughout these playoffs, especially vs. Boston in the second round. When the Knicks fall behind, they've been more aggressive, pushing the pace, passing the rock (less stagnant ISO-heavy approach), and searching for three-point opportunities.