NBA BASKETBALL BETTING PREVIEW - NEW YORK KNICKS @ BOSTON CELTICS

NBA Basketball

2013-04-28 - New York Knicks at Boston Celtics

A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown

New York Knicks @ Boston Celtics
United States: NBA Basketball Play Offs
Sunday 28 April 2013 - Tip Off 1pm
6pm (British Time)

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Preview

Many would have expected the Boston Celtics to at least come out with some emotion in Game 3, but they once again failed to produce on the offensive side of the court and have fallen into the dreaded 0-3 hole. No team has ever recovered from that deficit in the NBA and the Celtics will be hoping they can do something like the Boston Red Sox did in 2004 to knock off the New York Yankees on the way to their first World Series win in a century.

However, these Celtics are not those Red Sox and it is unlikely they can turn the tide on this New York team. The Knicks have harried them enough in the first three games and have taken advantage of a significant edge in the back court and now the excitement in the squad is to get a measure of revenge after being swept by Boston a couple of years ago at this same stage of the Play Offs.

The rumour mill is in overdrive that the likes of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will be playing their last game as a Celtic in the TD Garden on Sunday. Garnett has been linked with retirement which would see Boston blow up their roster and rebuild around Rajon Rondo who will make his return at some point next season.

With those rumours taking hold, I would expect both Garnett and Pierce will do their best to turn back the clock and put in a vintage performance. The problem is that there isn't a lot of production coming from Avery Bradley or Jason Terry from the Guard positions and the bench hasn't got a lot of depth either.

However, the Knicks themselves will be missing JR Smith after he was suspended for throwing an elbow into the throat of Terry towards the end of Game 3. However, that hasn't stopped both Raymond Felton and Carmelo Anthony talking up the opportunity to complete a sweep of the series, something that would help one of the older rosters in the Play Offs.

It would be particularly significant as both the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks are in for a big battle for the right to play the winner of this series. Felton himself admitted he would love to see that series extended to seven games.

Head to Head

The 3-0 series lead has helped the New York Knicks improve to 6-1 in the season series and they have won the last 6 in a row.

That run includes 3 straight wins at the TD Garden.

Prediction

The loss of JR Smith is a disappointment for the Knicks, but the Celtics have shown little life in the series and I think there may just be a sweep in this one.

The Pick :