2011 NBA Playoffs: Boston Celtics Dominating New York Knicks

The Boston Celtics have proven again that they are among the elite in the NBA by blowing out the Knicks Friday night at MSG, 113-96.

Nobody—and I mean nobody—predicted a sweep in this series, but the Celtics stand one game away from pulling out the brooms, and here is why:

During the regular season, the C’s completely shut down teams with their staggering defense, only allowing 91.1 PPG—good for league best. The Celtics also shot an NBA best .486 from the field, and finished second behind the Bulls in defensive field goal percentage, holding opponents to .434 during the regular season.

In the postseason, the Celtics are up 3-0 on the Knicks, holding their high powered offense to just 93.3 PPG. That may not seem like a big deal, but it's 13.2 fewer points per game than they were scoring in the regular season.

Boston is limiting New York to just 40.1 percent (98-244) from the floor in the playoffs, a team that shot 45.7 percent during the regular season. Yes, you can say they don’t have Billups, but if you do, then you are not paying attention to the facts.

Did I mention that the Celtics can score a little bit?

In the playoffs, Boston is shooting 47.2 percent (116-246) from the field, good for second behind Portland. More impressively, the C’s are shooting a playoff best 52.1 percent (25-48) from beyond the arc, and lead the charge in assists, dishing out 24 per game.

The playoffs start a new season, and the Celtics are 3-0, playing arguably the best basketball in the NBA.

Boston has proven to be a completely different animal in the playoffs year after year, and are certainly a force to be reckoned with. The second round series against the Heat will determine who takes the Eastern Conference title; a matchup for all NBA fans to look forward to. 

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/675484-nba-playoffs-boston-celtics-dominating-new-york-knicks

Andrew Brackman A.J. Burnett Steve Garrison Phil Hughes Damaso Marte Mariano Rivera