Within the Knicks’ jubilant locker room, Karl-Anthony Cities refused to get caught up within the second.
Certain, he was enthusiastic about one other dramatic come-from-behind victory, the second time in three days the Knicks had erased a 20-point, third-quarter deficit, turning into the primary NBA group within the play-by-play period (since 1996) to perform that feat in playoff historical past.
However he has been there earlier than, precisely one yr in the past.
The Timberwolves took the primary two video games from the defending champion Nuggets in Denver final yr.
“We left house 2-2,” he recalled. “We are able to’t take something as a right. We’ve received to … [execute] at a excessive stage, can’t preserve doing these 20-point leads for Boston and hope to return again and win the sport. We’ve received to play higher. We’ve received to shoot higher. We’ve received to execute higher.”
The Knicks, a large underdog getting into this spherical, are clearly in a terrific spot, within the driver’s seat of this Japanese Convention semifinal sequence.
They lead 2-0. Solely 34 groups in NBA playoff historical past have rallied from 0-2 deficits to win a sequence, however simply 5 of these have dropped the primary two video games at house.
It, nevertheless, can flip quick within the playoffs, as Cities reminded Wednesday night time.
Minnesota, it ought to be famous, gained that sequence in seven.
Final yr’s Knicks held a 2-0 sequence lead over the Pacers within the Japanese Convention semifinals and misplaced in seven grueling video games.
Whereas it is a completely different scenario — they’re wholesome and coming house somewhat than happening the street shorthanded — the Knicks know they are going to be getting the Celtics’ finest shot Saturday afternoon.
Boston was an NBA-best 33-8 away from house through the common season, profitable twice at Madison Sq. Backyard.
The Celtics didn’t lose three straight video games all yr and suffered back-to-back losses simply thrice, together with the begin to this sequence.
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They’re certain to carry out higher than they did at TD Backyard, prone to shoot significantly better from 3-point vary (25 %) than within the first two video games.
All-Star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are certain to snap out of their funk after going a mixed 27-for-85 to this point.
“Mentality is 0-0. Not going to concentrate on that,” Jalen Brunson stated. “[We’re] going to concentrate on the subsequent play, the subsequent quarter. Don’t look forward. Don’t look to something. Give attention to the duty at hand and be current.”
That was, not surprisingly, coach Tom Thibodeau’s message.
He known as the Knicks’ lead within the sequence “irrelevant.”
“The massive factor is to grasp what it’s going to take to win Sport 3, to not get misplaced,” he stated. “When you’re up, that doesn’t assure something. What we’ve got to grasp is what we’ve got to do to win Sport 3.”
Whereas the Celtics count on to take their sport to a different stage, the Knicks can say the identical factor.
This hasn’t been their finest, both. Brunson has made solely 15 of 42 photographs.
The Knicks have been out-rebounded twice and are averaging 13.5 turnovers.
Their Sport 2 offensive ranking of 94.8 (factors per 100 possessions) was their worst of the postseason.
“We’ve received to clearly play higher,” Cities stated.
Saturday afternoon’s Sport 3 will mark the Knicks’ first sport on the Backyard in 13 days, since their disappointing Sport 5, opening-round loss to the Pistons.
They struggled at house in that sequence, shedding two of three contests, and of their lone win, they rallied from an eight-point, fourth-quarter deficit.
Their finest house efficiency this postseason will likely be wanted.
The Knicks are conscious of that.
They haven’t achieved something but.
“We haven’t earned the suitable to seize the second,” Cities stated. “Now we have to do much more work enjoying the most effective groups within the NBA, and we all know we are able to’t loosen up at any level.”
