New York Knicks Lose Preseason Finale To Boston Celtics

It was a difficult night for the New York Knicks, who fell to the Boston Celtics in their preseason finale 99-85. The Knicks trailed by as many as 19 points in the second quarter, but didn’t let up as they cut it to as little as four in the second half. But, they were unable to get all the way over the hump, as the Celtics picked up timely baskets in the fourth quarter to put the Knicks away.

This was a game many people referred to as a dress rehearsal for the regular season, and it certainly looked that way at times. The Knicks got their starting lineup on the court together for the first time this preseason, as Jose Calderon, Arron Afflalo, Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis and Robin Lopez started the the game together. It was an up-and-down performance for the quintet, as all of them finished with a negative plus/minus ratio. But, that is to be expected since it was the first time that they took the court together.

There were some encouraging signs though. Calderon looked spry, as he was aggressive offensively. He used his jump shot to set up the rest of his offense, even getting to the basket for a layup, which is a rare sight for the 34-year old veteran. He knocked down 3-of-5 from three point land, which is always an encouraging sign. He also pulled down eight rebounds with three assists and one steal, as Calderon looks ready for the regular season. He made 6-of-11 overall in 33 minutes played, the most of the team.

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After starting the preseason hot from the field, Anthony has been stifled in back-to-back games by the Celtics. He finished up his poor 4-for-14 performance last Friday with another 4-for-18 clunker. Anthony sat out Saturday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets, so maybe he was out of rhythm tonight. But, the Celtics always zero in on him defensively and make things difficult for him, and it was no different tonight. He finished with only eight points, four rebounds, one assist, three blocks and one steal.

Another negative for the Knicks tonight was the outcome of Afflalo. Afflalo looked great to start, as he showed off his offensive repertoire. He took smaller guards, such as Avery Bradley, into the post and scored with ease. He also knocked down his jump shots, making both three-point attempts for 10 points. He didn’t add much else to the stat line, as a steal and one turnover was his only other numbers there, which will be the norm.

The negative with Afflalo though was that he was unable to finish the game. He was forced to the locker room early in the second half as the hamstring problems arose again. That is a big blow for the Knicks, as Afflalo is entrenched as the starting shooting guard and if he is out, it will make for two consecutive seasons that the Knicks are without an important veteran in the starting lineup.

Porzingis battled foul trouble, but the tape will still show a ton of positives. He got called for three early fouls, but that didn’t stop him from competing and playing hard. He pulled down eight rebounds, which you love to see, and his size was a difference maker on defense. He made 4-of-9 from the field for eight points, to go with four assists and one steal. Porzingis will continue to grow in the starting lineup, even if he doesn’t play 30-35 minutes as a starter normally does.

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Off the bench, Kyle O’Quinn had an injury scare as well, but unlike Afflalo he was able to return to the court. O’Quinn looks locked in as the backup big man, as he pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds tonight with three rebounds. Derrick Williams was once again a force scoring the ball, pouring in 14 points on 4-of-9 overall, knocking down 2-of-6 from deep and 4-of-6 from the charity stripe. Both players look to have found roles to succeed in with the Knicks off the bench as they give them athleticism and play well off each other.

The Afflalo injury is the only true negative tonight, as the rest of the team made it through unscatched. The Knicks finish the preseason with a 4-2 record, losing their last two games after winning the first four.

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Now it is on to the real thing, as the regular season is just six days away. The Knicks will get things started Wednesday night on the road against the new look and upstartMilwaukee Bucks at 8 PM ET.

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