Knicks vs Celtics Prediction: Bad News for New York

To be the best, the New York Knicks will be forced to beat the best.

After a six-game triumph over the Detroit Pistons, the Knicks now face the defending champion Boston Celtics in the conference semifinal portion of the NBA playoffs. It'll be the 15th postseason get-together between the regional rivals, with the Knicks creating an even 7-7 split with a six-game triumph in 2013's opening round.

How will the Knicks fare this time around? Knicks on SI contributors posit their responses below ...

Geoff Magliocchetti

At the risk of engaging in false optimism in what's sure to be a dour forecast for the Knicks, it's fair to say that, despite carrying mostly the same names on their ledger, this is not the same New York team that failed to keep things close in the first three showings against Boston this season.

The presence of Mitchell Robinson speaks for itself, as does the offensive emergence of OG Anunoby. Betting against Jalen Brunson, the newly-crowned Clutch Player of the Year, in the fourth-quarter was always ill-advised but it has been downright foolhardy in recent weeks.

Alas, even if those events and more are firing on all cylinders and Boston is medically worried about a few star contributors (i.e. Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday), it's still hard to see such occasions uniting to match the postseason aura that the Celtics have established in recent years, culminating in last year's championship.

The Knicks have taken undeniable steps forward since February and the overtime decision in the last get-together with the C's is proof of that. Unfortunately for a group that's relying on an appearance in the NBA's final four to stand as a sign of a right trend, it still feels like too much has to go exactly right, exactly as planed for the Knicks. When it did back in April, even that wasn't enough to avoid the green inferno that has taken eight of the nine meetings dating back to last season.

On paper, the Knicks have the name-brand talent capable of keeping pace, maybe even besting, Boston. That same metric, however, probably would've dictated that they make quick work of the shorthanded Pistons instead of the six-game slugfest that ensued instead.

The Knicks should be able to eek out a couple of wins this time around. Moral victories, however, don't procure advancement, an axiom the Knicks know all too well.

Prediction: Celtics in 6

Jeremy Brener

If this playoff series mimicked how the regular season played out, the Knicks would be swept. The Celtics won all four regular season meetings between the two teams and finished 10 games better in the standings.

The Knicks have had no answer to the Celtics offense all season, and it remains to be seen if the playoffs will provide that solution.

The Knicks are a good team, so it will be hard to be swept, but the Celtics should win this series in convincing fashion, even if Jrue Holiday is still not 100 percent with his hamstring injury.

Prediction: Celtics in 5

Noah Strackbein

The Knicks did more against the Detroit Pistons than many imagined. Game 6 felt more impressive watching than on the stat sheet, which gives you confidence in New York heading into the next round. But the Celtics aren't overlookable. This team is the favorite for a reason, and it's hard to see the Knicks doing what they did against the Pistons again.

This is a defining series for this Knicks team. There are a lot of questions about if they're capable of being a serious contender or if they're only a threat in the regular season. This could decide their approach for the offseason, but more important, their belief in Tom Thibodeau.

Ultimately, this won't be a blowout series, but it's hard to see New York taking the next step at this point. If Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns do things no one saw coming, that could change. Right now, the Celtics are the favorite.

Prediction: Celtics in 6

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