Apr 11, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) tries to steal the ball from New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Celtics Continue to Downplay Regular Season Sweep of Knicks

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Geoff Maggliocchetti | Last updated May 3, 2025 9:00 AM ET

There's no Celtic pride in sweeping the New York Knicks.

That's the narrative the Boston Celtics are apparently hoping to forge as they face the Knicks in conference semifinal action of the NBA Playoffs. With extra hours to prepare after quickly omitting the Orlando Magic in their opening round set, Celtic reps insisted that their regular season perfection against the Knicks has no bearing on the upcoming playoff pleasantries.

“Everything we did in the regular season doesn’t really mean a whole lot now,” Celtics star Derrick White said, per Bobby Manning of CLNS Media. “It’s not like we get to start up 1-0 or something like that. Just understand it’s the playoffs, they’re here for a reason, they’re a really good team and it’s going to be a big challenge.”

Knicks Celtics David Butler II-Imagn Images

A postseason get-together with the defending champion Celtics will allow Knick critics to resurrect one of their favorite metropolitan narratives, namely the one that plays on New York winless record against the Association's elite.

The matchups against Boston, holders of the East's second seed, were particularly embarrassing: the Knicks lost each stanza of the quartet by an average of over 16 points, that number partly beautified by a two-tally overtime decision in their last meeting on April 8. Boston began its ongoing championship defense on the highest of notes in October, sinking an NBA-record 29 three-pointers in a game that opened this entire campaign.

But that hasn't dimmed the Celtics' opinion of their longtime rivals, who boast the postseason's leading scorer to date in Jalen Brunson, who happens to double as the NBA's newly-minted Clutch Player of the Year.

"It’ll be a physical series, it’ll come down to the margins," Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said of the Knicks, per Gayle Troiani of NESN. "You have to be able to defend without fouling, rebound, take care of the ball, execute, and be able to get to different stuff defensively because of their ability to put pressure on the rim and get great shots.

“Right now the series is 0-0. It’s two good teams getting ready to play, and we have to be able to execute at a high, high level all the things that are in the process of winning.”

The upcoming conference semifinal set between the Knicks and Celtics will be the 15th all-time postseason meeting between the regional rivals, who have each earned seven wins in the prior get-togethers. The Knicks won the last one in 2013, as Carmelo Anthony and more ended Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett's respective tenures in green on a sour note with a five-game victory in the opening round.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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