Amar'e Stoudemire is pretty sure the Knicks are going to win this one.

Amar’e Stoudemire had a bold statement to make about the upcoming series between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks. Via ESPN New York:

“We’re going to win that first round for sure,” [Stoudemire] said on Thursday night in New York City during a screening of his upcoming EPIX documentary, “Amar’e Stoudemire: In The Moment,” which premieres on April 19. “Obviously, as we all know, with the Celtics, you can never underestimate those guys. We’ve got to definitely come to play every game, and bring that focus and determination every single night. I have high confidence in what we can do.”

Just to be clear: Stoudemire says the Knicks are going to win the first round for sure…and you can’t underestimate the Celtics. You know, like guaranteeing a win against a team that dismissed the Knicks in four games during the weakest of Boston’s KG-era playoff runs.

Certainly, it’s not 2011. But you can bet this, along with a very long list of other offenses on both ends, is currently hanging on Boston’s bulletin board.

An hour and a half until game time, y’all.

Follow Tom on Twitter: @Tom_NBA.

It wouldn't be Celtics/Knicks if Pierce didn't get a chance to gloat in MSG. Right?

We’ve reached the end of the regular season, so the writers of Celtics Town would like to take a minute to discuss the impending postseason in roundtable format with a few pertinent questions.

Click on the names to follow the writers on Twitter (and follow our fearless leader Jay @CelticsTown as well), and feel free to leave your answers to these questions in the comments below!

1. What do you find most encouraging entering the postseason?

Jordan: Jeff Green has grown exponentially over the course of the season. Green has gone from being an untradable player with an abysmal contract to one of the more reliable Celtics. Green hasn’t lived up to his contract just yet (which should only be a matter of time if he keeps trending in the right direction), but he’s come a long way since his early struggles. Also Bass seems to finally put it together in the last month or so, though we’ll see if he’s up to the challenge of guarding Carmelo.

Jesse: Their relative depth and different possible scoring options all have me in a controlled optimistic mind state heading into Saturday’s game.  The Celtics have the typical options in Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to work their offense through, but Jeff Green can also create offense, along with the less reliable Terrence Williams and Jordan Crawford.  The point being—Boston’s offense often times lacks a serious spark and can tend to over-pass and be flat out ugly to watch, now we can at least watch Crawford huck up some floaters in the lane and if we are lucky they might be semi-open looks.

Tom: Watching Paul Pierce and Jeff Green learn to work together has been my favorite part of this season. Their development has been good and bad: Good because it’s great to see two talented players learn how to work in tandem and bad because, due to injuries, they are quite possibly the only players who actually developed any kind of real chemistry on the court throughout the season. Still, this is the positive section, and the fact that Boston’s two best wings have learned how to work together is undeniably a good thing.

2. What do you find most discouraging entering the postseason?

Jordan: That this team went from having a punchers chance at a title in the preseason to trying to play spoiler in the first round. The Celtics are banged up (including the mystery of KG’s health) and trending in the wrong direction. And once again it’s possible that Garnett and Pierce might retire (or go elsewhere in the case of Pierce) following the derailment of the Celtics efforts to reload with the Rondo injury. This feels more like a lost season than a repeat of 2010 and that’s a bummer for a team with such high aspirations entering the season.

Jesse: This is entirely idealistic, but I really wish the Celtics could enter into battle with their best team healthy and on the floor.  Injuries are understandably part of the game, but for basketball’s sake I wish Kobe Bryant was healthy, I wish Rondo and Sullinger (and shoot, I’ll throw in Barbosa too) were around to face the Knicks.  Every NBA fan wants to see each team at their best come playoff time, it tears my heart out knowing Rondo and Sully will be watching these games in their finest suits from the sidelines.  Again, I know I am living in fantasy land, but hey that is the nature of end-of-season roundtables.

Tom: Before this season, I REALLY believed Boston was, on paper, a darkhorse contender for the title. Sure, the Lakers had a super-lineup and the Thunder and Heat were still both things, but Boston had all the pieces and a deep, deep bench. Why couldn’t they make a run for the title?

Well, rebounding for starters. Injuries for seconds. Bad luck for thirds. Now here we are.

3. How far will the Celtics go?

Jordan: I think the Celtics lose in the first round. No matter how ho-hum his regular season performance may be at times, Rondo is too dynamic a postseason player to be easily replaced. Garnetts defense is the key to any chance the Celtics have of making a run, and even if he actually is healthy I’m not sure if it’ll be sustainable. This team is the 7th seed for a reason and it is not 2010. I hope the Celtics prove me wrong, and if they do I think their ceiling is an ECF rematch with the Miami Heat, but I don’t see it.

Jesse: The Celtics lose in the first round.  There I said it.  Yes—this is my typical move of managing expectations by setting the bar low, and allowing myself to be pleasantly surprised.  The C’s show some fight, lose two games in blowouts, win two games in blowouts, and lose two close ones due to Melo and J.R. going off in the fourth quarter, with some timely Kidd three-pointers.  It is what is anticipated so why not manage my post season hangover with reasonable expectations heading into the second season.

Tom: NSFW for language, but here’s my take on this season and the playoffs in general.

THE ABOVE BEING SAID, I’m going to be optimistic and say the Celtics make it to the Eastern Conference Finals where, once again, they are turned back by the Heat in seven. I do not have a good reason for making this prediction.

You know, other than the fact that I’m stupid.

4. Who will win the Boston/New York series and in how many games?

Jordan: I have the Knicks winning in seven. When I glanced over the stats it actually felt like Knicks in six, but I spotted the Celtics an extra game because of their veteran grit and Pierce’s affinity for Madison Square Garden. The Celtics have been a terrible road team this year and thats weighed heavily into my series prediction, especially since I think NYK can win in Boston. I don’t see the Celtics being able to steal enough games in NYK to pull this out, but anything between Knicks in five and Celtics in seven wouldn’t surprise me.

Jesse: 4-2 Celtics lose in six games.

Tom: I’ll take the Celtics in seven, with Game 7 being an instant classic battle between Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony.

5. How many flagrant fouls/technicals do you anticipate?

Jordan: I’m going to go with four techs and no flagrants. Some bark but no bite.

Jesse: I will go with a safe two flagrant fouls for the series—one from Tyson Chandler and the other from Courtney Lee, admittedly going for the long shot with Lee.  Technical fouls will be a little more interesting, is Rasheed Wallace allowed to be on the bench during this series?  If yes—five techs, if no—two techs.

Tom: I’m going all out: four flagrant fouls (it has to be an even number because each team will need revenge) and 10 technicals because the officials will be trying to prevent any more flagrant fouls.

• Jeff Green continues to be stagnant playing with the Celtics starting unit, I maintain my previously held belief that he would be best suited playing with the second unit.  With the playoff rotation very much in flux it will be interesting to see which player combinations Doc ends up putting on the floor to try to get some offensive flow without
• Paul Pierce did look good in the minutes he did play, shooting 5-7 from the field with 11 points.  You know… for what its worth.
• Jordan Crawford continues to do Jordan Crawford-y things (see: draining a half court shot, flailing limbs in the lane, hacking defense, and some sneaky nice passing.)
• Courtney Lee playing at a relatively high level will be necessary in the playoffs, especially against the Knicks who have more guards than the president.  He played a run-of-the-mill 30 minutes in this game expect Lee to get much less in the playoffs, but be expected to be a defensive stopper off the bench– particularly to defend likely 6th-man of the year J.R. Smith.
• Fab (ulous) Melo sighting tonight in what was a thirty point game for much of the third quarter.  He finished with an inspired two points and two rebounds in 17 m5inutes.
• I cannot wait until Reggie Evans retires and Quincy Acy takes his place as the leagues prototypical “great rebounder, slightly dirty, piss-off-opponents guy with a bald head and a scraggly beard.”

The NBA playoffs are just around the corner and while there is a boring two-day buffer between now and the post-season tip-off, all of Boston’s hard work over the last 81 games will all come to head in Madison Square Garden against the New York Knickerbockers.  Seems like just yesterday we were talking about Bo McCallebb and his pesky Fenerbahce team. This Celtics team has certainly gone through a lot, expect some season reviews and playoff previews in the coming days from the Celtics Town team.

Follow Jesse on Twitter: J_duderanch

In a press release tonight, the Celtics announced that the NBA has canceled Tuesday’s game against the Indiana Pacers:

Out of respect to all those who have been impacted by the tragic events today in Boston, including members of the extended Celtics family, the Boston Celtics and the NBA have decided to cancel the game scheduled for Tuesday, April 16, between the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers.

The game will not be rescheduled. Instructions for any fans holding tickets to the game will be provided on Celtics.com after 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16.

Our sincere sympathies go out to all those affected by this senseless tragedy. The entire Celtics organization would like to acknowledge the heroic efforts of the brave civilian, police, fire and medical personnel responding today in the City of Boston.

The game would not matter in terms of playoff seeding, but that’s not really the point.

The city of Boston took a serious hit this afternoon as the city was subjected to horrible acts against innocent citizens.  As easy as it is for the natural reaction to be disgust that something this atrocious could occur in our society– people’s responses to these acts is a far truer reflection of our society and the City of Boston.  The outpouring of support at blood banks, the long list of people who offered housing, the courage and selflessness of all of those who put their lives on the line to rush people to safety– those are the people who truly reflect Boston and the United States of America.  My thoughts are with everyone in Boston tonight, as there is not a shred of doubt that Boston will show how strong it truly is in the face of such unthinkable tragedy.

Paul Pierce needs no motivation to play against New York. Why would the Knicks give him any?

With a win last night over Indiana, the New York Knicks clinched the second seed in the Eastern Conference and a first-round matchup against Boston. Given both teams’ recent history against each other, it’s probably not a surprise, then, that today’s big news is that Carmelo Anthony still doesn’t really get the Celtics. From ESPN New York:

“That’s in the back of our minds,” Anthony said of the 2011 defeat. “We want to beat Boston. I mean, let’s be quite frank … This playoff series for myself, it’s very important for us as a team, as a city, as an organization. We’re looking forward to this season.”

Of course Carmelo wants to beat the Celtics. That part makes perfect sense. You want to advance in the playoffs, you want to beat a divisional rival, you want to move on.

But suggesting that the Boston series means more to you personally? Melo. Buddy. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE CELTICS WANT.

We can talk for days about how Boston’s defense will improve with Garnett finally playing consistently in the playoffs and how Brandon Bass and Courtney Lee (maybe) are coming around and how Jeff Green has been an all-star in the second half of the season.

But once we’ve talked ourselves to death and discussed every possible angle from an X’s and O’s standpoint, we need to acknowledge that Boston wins games on a combination of X’s and O’s and the weird things throughout a series that motivate them. Quentin Richardson called the Celtics “actresses” in 2010 and helped  jump-start Boston into a trip to the Finals. A long-standing beef with LeBron and the Heat nearly led to a beyond-shocking upset last year.  With nearly every expert picking New York (thereby motivating Boston already) and with the Celtics finally having some semblance of health for KG and Pierce, why would Melo admit that this series means something more to him than an average playoff series?

Don’t get me wrong: Melo is an incredible player who COULD destroy Boston offensively if he got hot at the right time. But he’s crazy if handing the Celtics a tack and a printed sheet of billboard material is a gamble he’s willing to take.

Follow Tom on Twitter: @Tom_NBA.

Despite an inefficient night from Pierce, the Celtics pounded the Magic.

Well, they did it. For better or worse, the Celtics have clinched the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, thereby avoiding a first-round matchup with the Miami Heat. Instead, Boston will face the New York Knicks, a team which has had considerable success against the C’s throughout the season.

But all of that comes later. Tonight, the Celtics did something unfamiliar and kind of fun: They ran out to a big lead early and never surrendered that lead on the road against an inferior team. We also saw Doc’s projected playoff lineup get some more successful time on the court together, and perhaps we can make a more educated judgment on how well they will perform against good teams.

But for now, let’s get to the bullet points about tonight:

• Courtney Lee broke out of his (season-long?) shooting slump and dropped 20 points on 7-10 shooting, including 3-3 from behind the 3-point line. What was more encouraging was the variety of ways in which Lee scored. He beat the Magic on a series of backdoor cuts, pick-and-roll jumpers, spot-up 3-pointers and transition layups. It should be noted that 13 of Lee’s points came in the fourth quarter when the game was already well in hand, but who wants to be a killjoy?
• We don’t have a big enough sample size to make any kind of sweeping declarations, but Jeff Green certainly seems to be more comfortable offensively when he is playing a stretch-4 role. I’m not really sure why, but he seems more likely to pull up for a long two-pointer than drive to the basket or spot-up for a 3-pointer when he is the shooting guard or small forward. Tonight, he was 6-17 and just didn’t look like himself. He would pull up awkwardly for weird floaters and jumpers where normally he would simply beat his man to the basket. Green’s performance is a big part of the reason why I don’t like Boston’s new big lineup. But again, we don’t have much of a sample size to draw conclusions from. So to be continued.
• Brandon Bass is coming around. I’m knocking furiously on wood at the moment, but after yet another efficient shooting night (6-7 from the field), I think we can safely say that Bass seems far and away the most comfortable we have seen him this season. Good timing.
• Kevin Garnett was 7-8 from the field, 6-7 on his jumpers, and he grabbed nine rebounds. More importantly: There is an obvious uptick in Boston’s defensive schemes whenever Garnett is on the floor. It was great to see him back.
• Whenever Jordan Crawford crashes into the middle of the lane, I get ready to roll my eyes, but he often manages to get close enough to the hoop that his turnaround fadeaway is actually a decent shot. Tonight he got a little bit too pumped up after a layup, screaming “AND ONE!” at the ref who clearly had told him to cut the crap. He got a technical for his efforts, but the Celtics will take a 7-10 shooting performance with three assists, no turnovers and one technical from Crawford in any game.
• Paul Pierce showed some rust, shooting 4-12 from the floor and 1-5 from 3-point range, but he contributed to perhaps the highlight of the night: A sweet alley-oop pass in transition to Jeff Green who slammed it through with one hand.
• Here’s something interesting to overthink: With 29 minutes available at center (Garnett only played 19 tonight), Doc gave Chris Wilcox 19 and Shavlik Randolph just 3. In his last two games, Randolph has grabbed just one rebound in 13 minutes combined. Has Doc decided Shavvy doesn’t have a spot in the playoff rotation? It’s hard to tell, since the entire rotation has been in flux for months due to injuries, but Randolph’s minutes have taken a noticeable dip in the past two games.

That will have to do it for tonight. With just two games remaining and the seventh seed secured (and the sixth seed out of reach), it will be interesting to see if Doc decides to play Pierce and Garnett to keep them in game shape or let them rest. My guess: Both get playing time, but neither gets more than 20 minutes per game. But we will see. Next up, the Celtics play some incarnation of the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday at home.

Follow Tom on Twitter: @Tom_NBA.