May 2, 2013
No Knick fan wanted this! Including me, obviously. We all wanted the Knicks such out the Boston Celtics by 20-points, like they are some scrub team who have no playoff experience, with a garbage coach. When in reality, they have clutch, hall of fame players and the best coach in basketball in Doc Rivers.
I'm upset like every Knick fan, but if you want to look at it from a positive standpoint, this is good test for the Knicks. Let's see how they respond after a lost they should've won. Because really, this was a free game for the Knicks. And if they can't win this game, or win the series, then they don't deserve to advance to the second round.
Another way to look at this positive, is the Knicks won't have a long lay off to wait the winner of the Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers series. This way, they won't be rusty in the second round.
I can be mad and annoyed at this lost, but this could be a good early test for the Knicks. We're gonna see if they're 'for real' or not. They didn't want to close it out, so now go close it out on the road at Boston.
Also, I can't stand how people said, before Game 5, that the Knicks "had to win this game" because if not they'll be a Game 7 -- how do you know that? Why can't the Knicks close out the series at six? The only reason the Celtics won Game 5 is because Carmelo Anthony and J.R Smith shot a combined 11-38 from the field. All the Knicks needed was for one of them to have good night and this series is over. And all the Knicks needed was a shot to win Game 4.
To me, the pressure is off the Knicks. The worst has already happened. And Game 6 is another free game. Knicks need to head to Boston, press the pedal and run through these guys. If not, they'll have to do it in Game 7 at home -- and if that doesn't get it done, then they don't deserve to go anywhere. Because if you think this is tough...how do you expect to win a championship.
If the series goes seven games, it goes seven games. That means nothing. It's all about winning the series or not, at this point.
Iman Shumpert: At times, it seems like Shumpert is the only playing with a sense of urgency. Him and Raymond Felton. Shumpert and Felton have been the pulse on the Knicks in Game 4 and 5. Shumpert has been playing suffocating defense, and Felton has been the scoring machine. He's about 6'1 and he's taking it to the rim like bulldog. I love the guy. He's just tough as nails.
So we're going to a Game 6. And to me, if the Knicks win this series, it'll only make them stronger. Also, for those who wanna compare this series to the 2004 ALCS: The Boston Red Sox had better pitching than the New York Yankees in '04 -- that's they were able to comeback. The Knicks in this series are far better and are just bullshitting.
