The New York Knicks face off against the Boston Celtics in an Atlanta Division first round NBA Playoff matchup that will be less dramatic that people would expect. This time around, the Knicks are the favorite. They have the superior offense and if they put as much effort on defense, then this series should be over in five games. Here's why.
The Knicks don't turn the ball over, which is perfect against the Celtics tough defense, the Knicks can score a ton of points, they have the scoring champion in Carmelo Anthony and they have what should be the Sixth Man of the Year in J.R. Smith. Some might say Smith is inconsistent and you can't trust him late in the game, but he proved the complete opposite in 2013 hitting big time game winners and providing major offense from the bench.
The Celtics are depending on two guys in their mid-30's, maybe three as Kevin Garnett is expected to return to the starting lineup. If the Celtics had their young star and Rajon Rondo, then they wouldn't be the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and they wouldn't be expected to exit early from the playoffs. Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and Garnett will be the guys carrying the team. All of them possess championship rings. However, the Knicks are more versatile and if their three-point game is on forget about it.
Fueled by the crowd in Madison Square Garden that's ready to see their Knicks win their first playoff series in over a decade, New York also has the home court advantage. However, don't expect Games 6 and 7 to be necessary as the Knicks will win it in five.
Game 1 Score Prediction: Knicks 98-Celtics 90
