If you scoffed at the Celtics struggles in the 2nd half of game 1, well game 2 will give you plenty more material to critique them on.

The Celts scored only 25 points in the 2nd half of game 1, lost a half time lead, and the game. Tuesday night at noisy madison Square Garden the Celts outdid themselves, setting a new franchise record for least points in a half, this time only 23 in the last 24 minutes and the Knicks take game 2 by the score of 87-71.

This time Boston led at the break 48-42. But the celts aging stars faded again in the 2nd half, scoring just 11 pints in the 3rd quarter and just 12 in the 4th. Kenyon Martin led the Knicks defense again last night with 11 rebounds and 4 blocks. Rarely does a guy have his name chanted by a crowd in basketball when he scores just 3 points, but Martins name was ringing throughout the Garden as they love their defense and Martin leads that defense.

Carmelo Anthony shot the ball a bit better for New York finishing 11 of 24 from the floor, and totaled 34 points. J.R. Smith, the newly named 6th man of the year had 19 points off the bench and Raymond Felton chipped in 16 points. This game the Knicks took only 19 shots from 3 point territory, compared to 25 in game 1.

The Knicks now lead the best of 7 series 2 games to nothing. Game 3 heads to Boston on Friday night. It will be the Celtics 1st home game since the Boston Marathon Bombing. The C's had their final home game vs Indiana canceled as the manhunt for 1 of the bombers was underway. The Knicks haven't led a playoff series 2-0 since 2000 when they led the Toronto Raptors 2 zip and went on to win that series.

Kevin Garnett has been mostly ineffective this series and again on Tuesday was little factor. he spent much of the 2nd half on the bench in foul trouble. Garnett had just 8 points in game 1. Combined in both games the Celts have made only 14 shots in the 2nd half combined, while attempting 63 shots!

 

 

 

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