Sunday, March 31, 2013

Knicks make it 9 in a row; Beat Celtics 108-89

The New York Knicks continued winning tonight as they defeated the Boston Celtics 108-89. This was also the third win over the Celtics this season which caps off a very successful season against them.

For the most part, the Knicks were able to control the pace of the game. Their three-point shooting was great in this game as they nailed 14 threes. This was a solid team performance and it started from the beginning of the game. All and all seven Knicks hit three-pointers tonight, that collective effort really was too much for the Celtics to handle.

Leading the Knicks was Carmelo Anthony, who would score a team high 24 points in 27 minutes of action. Anthony shot the ball much better in this game and really made the most of his scoring opportunities. Anthony also grabbed 10 rebounds marking his sixth double-double of the season.

JR Smith didn’t score over 30 points for the fourth straight game, but instead scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Smith continued to attack in this game and would get to the free throw line. Smith converted 7 of 10 free throws. This has really been the difference with Smith. He making himself much more tougher to guard and is expanding on his game.

The performance of Raymond Felton will not go unnoticed tonight. Felton scored 18 points including a half court shot to end the second quarter. Felton really shot the ball well tonight and converted on his openings. This was a great offensive night for Felton, who has struggled with his shot since his hand injury.

Chris Copeland scored 22 points off the bench tonight. Copeland continues to score when he sees minutes. Tonight he played 19 minutes and really played well when he was on the floor. The Knicks have had success with the pick and roll with Copeland and tonight they ran a couple of plays that worked. Overall, Copeland has played well in his opportunities and that should continue for the rest of the season.

It is also worth noting that Kenyon Martin strained his left abdominal muscle and did not return to the game. This injury is very concerning because this is another injury to the Knicks front court. Martin has played exceptionally well this season and his absence will really hurt this team. Hopefully this isn’t serious and he can play against the Heat on Tuesday night.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Twitter: @CaardelEaddy and or @CaardelsBlog

No comments:

Post a Comment