Game Thread: New York Knicks @ Boston Celtics 7:30 10/24/2017 [Game #3]

rady

Administrator
Staff member

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(0-2) -- (1-2)

VenueTVTIME
TD Garden, Boston, MAMSG7:30 PM EST


Probable starters:


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Injury Report

New York KnicksBoston Celtics
Frank Ntilikina - Left ankle sprain (OUT)
Marcus Morris - Sore left knee (OUT)
-Gordon Hayward - Left ankle fracture (OUT)
-Marcus Smart - Left ankle sprain (QUEST)




Game Preview

BOSTON -- Injuries opened the door for the entire roster to be asked to contribute as the Boston Celtics navigate their way through the early NBA schedule.

Twelve players saw time Friday night in Boston's win at Philadelphia, and that is likely to be the case again when the Celtics host the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.

"Every one of them should think there's a good chance that (they) get an opportunity to impact the game on Tuesday night," Boston coach Brad Stevens said Sunday. "There's not a guy on this roster who shouldn't think that right now. It may or not be their night. But we're in a situation where we need everybody."

Boston started the season without newly acquired Marcus Morris, who has been out with a knee injury and has targeted Oct. 30 for his Celtics debut. Then, less than six minutes into the first game, major free agent signee Gordon Hayward was lost, probably for the season, with a horrific ankle/leg injury.

Marcus Smart missed the game in Philly with an ankle injury.

The Celtics won that night, improving to 1-2 while playing three games in the first four nights of the season.

In addition to heavy reliance on rookie Jayson Tatum and second-year man Jaylen Brown, names such as Aron Baynes, Jabari Bird, Abdel Nader, Semi Ojeleye and Daniel Theis have been asked to step in. All have contributed in their own way.

The Celtics, hoping to get back to .500 on Tuesday night, face a team that seems to be Kristaps Porzingis and little else. Porzingis has scored 31 and 33 points in the first two games of the season, becoming the first Knick with back-to-back 30-point games to start a season since Patrick Ewing did it in 1993-94.

"Patrick Ewing is a legend," Porzingis said. "I wish I could have a career like him. It's an honor."

The Knicks reached the NBA Finals in 1994, but that is not going to happen to this season's team.

Jeff Hornacek's team exploded to a 21-point first-half lead in the home opener against the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night -- and then fell to 0-2.

New York failed to play defense or rebound down the stretch Saturday. Defense remains a focus for Hornacek.

"We want them to be at least 90 percent," Hornacek said, regarding a player's defensive efficiency. "That's the goal. You can do things nine out of 10 times right and we get the whole team to do that, we'll be OK."

The Celtics have taken each of the past three season series between the old rivals 3-1, but the Knicks did split two games in Boston last season.

Boston guard Kyrie Irving, who was fined $25,000 for a lewd comment directed at a heckler in Philadelphia on Friday, struggled with his shot the past two games.

Irving, who has to lead the young team, shot 8-for-17 in the opener, including 4-for-9 from 3-point range. However, he is 14-for-42 from the floor and 3-for-11 from downtown in the past two games combined.

Smart is still considered day-to-day, but he didn't practice on Monday.

Enes Kanter, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds in New York's loss Saturday, could present a problem for the Celtics inside. He averaged 13.4 points and 5.9 rebounds in 11 games against Boston while with the Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder.

(cbssports.com via STATS)
 

and1

Rotation player
nice thread!
well, looks like we're going to be seeing KP playing some minutes at the 5 tonight.
so who's going to be starting at the 4?

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tiger0330

Legend
nice thread!
well, looks like we're going to be seeing KP playing some minutes at the 5 tonight.
so who's going to be starting at the 4?

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Horn I imagine is doing this because he thinks KP has more of an advantage over Baynes than Horford. If you saw the Sixers game against the Pistons, Embiid worked Drum over for 30 pts taking him outside and shooting the jumper over him, pump faking him and driving the basket and dunking on him or spinning his way around Drum for a layup, I could see KP doing that with Baynes tonight. Embiid is a man though, put together better than KP but Baynes will be a good test since he's a bruiser, he needs to sell those fouls better so he can get to the line and a little complaining to the refs is part of the game.
 
I don?t care what Hornacek needs to do. The team needs to compete tonight. Can?t let yourself get embarrassed in Boston.
 

and1

Rotation player
watching bulls and cavs. markanen lighting it up. grant looks pretty good so far running the offense.
but you know, we gave up lopez and grant for 2 guys we let walk. 'cuz that's how we do.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Haven't watched the Bulls this season but I heard Grant had improved as a PG. He was terrible in last year's playoffs when Rondo went down. He was so bad they yanked him for Isiah Canaan the next game. Still can't believe he improved that much over the summer, going to have catch a Bulls game soon.
 

and1

Rotation player
kanter with like 15 rebounds already.
okay maybe not 15, but it's pretty high for the 1st qtr.
 
I know Boston is a tough team, but our defense has to be better than this. We don?t have anything resembling a high octane offense that can compete in a shootout.
 

jimkcchief88

All Star
Smelldicks end quarter on a 21-7 run on 58% shooting...another 30 point first quarter given up:( same old sorry Knicks defense which is more effort than talent and these Knicks have neither:(
 
I?ve said it before. The Hornacek era is defined by competing for the 1st 6 minutes of the game and then getting killed for the rest of the game.
 

jimkcchief88

All Star
Chief Off the subject. How are Holiday and Grant doing with the Bulls?

To be honest I haven?t watched them much yet everyone is pretty down on the Bulls here but I?ll check them out and let you know Bullies are hanging with the Cavs tonight up at the half at least
 
What were you saying about being embarrassed. Tatum and Brown are why we want to lose 60 games this season.

If I have to watch another 79 games of this, the Knicks better get someone better than Tatum or Brown. This guy better be a generational player.
 
Down 21 at the half. If we keep playing like this and Hornacek doesn?t get fired, you will know that our front office is in fact employing ?the process?.
 
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