On Monday night, the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics opened up their second-round playoff series with Game 1 in Massachusetts.
Before the game, Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley made his prediction for the series (via the NBA on TNT).
Barkley: “The Celtics are going to beat the Knicks in probably five games. If that… The Knicks got a good team, don’t get me wrong. They got a good team. The Celtics are just better.”
While the NBA playoffs are a different type of environment, the Celtics swept the Knicks in the regular season.
Via Keith Smith of Spotrac: “Celtics and Knicks in the regular season:
October 22 – Celtics won 132-109 in Boston
February 8 – Celtics won 131-104 in New York
February 23 – Celtics won 118-105 in Boston
April 8 – Celtics won 119-117 (OT) in New York”
The Knicks went 51-31 during the regular season, which had them as the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
They beat the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the NBA playoffs (in six games).
Meanwhile, the Celtics are the second seed after going 61-21.
They beat the Orlando Magic in the first round (in six games).
@Knicksmuse: “The last 3 NBA Champs have lost in the Conference Semis the next year:
2021: Bucks win chip
2022: Boston beats Bucks in semis
2022: Warriors win chip
2023: Lakers beat Warriors in semis
2023: Nuggets win chip
2024: Wolves beat Nuggets in semis
2024: Celtics win chip
2025: ?”
