“Battle for the East: Celtics Look to Regain Momentum in Crucial Game 4 Against Knicks” The NBA playoffs have a way of bringing out the best in teams, and the first-round showdown between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks is no exception. After a thrilling Game 3, the series is now knotted at 2-1 in favor of the Knicks, with the Celtics seeking to level the score on their home court in Game 4. As the Green Machine prepares to face their Big Apple foes once again, a plethora of storylines and matchups are set to captivate the basketball world. From the resurgence of Jayson Tatum to the stifling defense of the Knicks, there are plenty of factors at play that will determine the outcome of this crucial contest. In this article, we’ll break down four key things to watch as the Celtics look to regain momentum and send the series back to New York tied at 2-2. Let’s dive into the
Four things to watch as Boston looks to even series
The Celtics certainly don’t want to fall into a 3-1 hole that no team has come back from in the last five years. The Knicks don’t want to give up their series lead and cede home-court advantage back to the defending champs. So we should get great efforts and focus from both teams in what could be a “pivotal” Game 4 at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
Can Knicks create better shots?
According to Second Spectrum tracking, the Knicks rank last in shot quality in the playoffs, lower than the eight teams that were eliminated in the first round. Their shot quality was lower against Detroit than it has been against the Celtics, but Boston has the three highest shot-quality scores in this series.
In the regular season, the Knicks ranked fifth in offensive efficiency, but just 22nd in shot quality. They overperformed in regard to the quality of their shots by being one of four teams that ranked in the top 10 in field goal percentage in the paint, mid-range field goal percentage and 3-point percentage.
They’re certainly not overperforming offensively in this series. They have four of the 15 players with an effective field goal percentage under 48% on at least 30 shots in the conference semis.
The Knicks can certainly hope to shoot better in Game 4, but the best way to shoot better is to generate better shots. Can they do that against this defense? With Jayson Tatum guarding Karl-Anthony Towns, the Celtics have reduced the effectiveness of the Jalen Brunson-Towns pick-and-roll, which the Knicks ran just seven times in Game 3, according to Second Spectrum tracking.
Brunson has preferred targeting Al Horford (usually with Josh Hart as the screener), but the Knicks have scored just 0.76 points per chance when Horford has been the screener’s defender on a ball-screen for Brunson.
That matchup produced some big shots from the Knicks’ point guard in the first two games, but Horford has generally done a good job of staying in front of Brunson and forcing jump shots off the dribble:
The Knicks may need to get a little more creative with their offense. The Celtics don’t want to leave Brunson, so using him as a screener on occasion could open some things up.
Celtics’ shot selection could be better
The Celtics have also not shot well in this series. Of the 37 players with at least 30 field goal attempts in the conference semifinals through Sunday, Tatum (40.3%) and Jaylen Brown (40.2%) rank 34th and 35th in effective field goal percentage.
One of the biggest reasons for the Celtics’ dominance in last year’s playoffs was their purposefulness on offense. They knew where they wanted to attack and they did it every every time down the floor, consistently creating advantages.
When an advantage is created, the next step is reading the defense and making the right play. And that’s where the Celtics just haven’t been as sharp this year.
Early in the third quarter on Saturday, Tatum grabbed a defensive rebound saw Brown up the floor with only Towns between him and the basket, so Tatum made a great hit-ahead pass. But Brown let Towns off the hook, settling for a stepback 3-point attempt instead of attacking and getting to the basket or drawing an extra defender:
The Celtics are still searching for that gear they had as they went 16-3 on their way to banner No. 18 a year ago. They should continue to gain advantages on most possessions in this series, and they can be better in making the right reads.
Transition Opportunities
Transition opportunities are critical. The second round of the 2025 NBA playoffs is here, and our NBA insiders have you covered for every game of the Eastern and Western Conference semifinals.
Critical nature of transition opportunities in Game 4
The Celtics need to improve their transition defense. The Knicks’ ability to score in transition is a key aspect of their offense.
The Celtics’ struggles in defending transition opportunities have been a major issue in this series. They need to find a way to shut down the Knicks’ transition game if they want to even the series.
The Knicks have been able to score in transition, which has been a major factor in their wins in the series. The Celtics need to find a way to stop this if they want to get back in the series.
Early in the third quarter on Saturday, the Celtics were able to build a big lead, and the Knicks were not able to overcome it. The Knicks scored just 8 points in transition, which was a major factor in their loss.
The Celtics need to continue to build on this performance if they want to even the series. They need to find a way to shut down the Knicks’ transition game and limit their scoring opportunities.
The Celtics’ defense has been strong in this series, but they need to find a way to shut down the Knicks’ transition opportunities. If they can do this, they should be able to even the series and head back to Boston with momentum.
Conclusion
As the Boston Celtics prepare to take on the New York Knicks in Game 4, it’s clear that this series is far from over. In our analysis, we highlighted four key factors that will be crucial in determining the outcome of this pivotal matchup: the Celtics’ ability to contain Julius Randle, the importance of Jayson Tatum’s scoring, the Knicks’ three-point shooting, and the impact of the Celtics’ bench play. These factors will not only decide the fate of Game 4 but also have significant implications for the series as a whole.
Looking ahead, it’s clear that the Celtics’ ability to even the series will set the tone for the remainder of the playoffs. A win in Game 4 would give Boston the momentum they need to take control of the series, while a loss would put them in a precarious position. Moreover, the outcome of this series will have significant implications for the Eastern Conference playoff picture, with the winner gaining a significant advantage in the quest for the NBA championship. As the stakes continue to rise, one thing is certain: the Celtics and Knicks will leave everything on the court in pursuit of victory.
In the end, as the Celtics look to even the series in Game 4, one question remains: can they overcome their inconsistencies and capitalize on their strengths to secure a crucial win? As the intensity of the playoffs continues to build, one thing is clear: only time will tell. But one thing is for certain – the fate of this series hangs in the balance, and the world will be watching as these two storied franchises battle it out for supremacy.