You would be far-fetched to find someone outside of the Knicks' organization or their fanbase who anticipated them taking the first two games against the Boston Celtics, but hey, that's why we play the games, right? The Knicks are 2-0, heading back to Madison Square Garden, after historically erasing another 20-point deficit in Game 2.
While Knicks' president of basketball, Leon Rose, may not have envisioned having to dig out of multiple 20-point holes to beat the Celtics, he did envision beating them. This Knicks' roster, specifically through the additions of Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges, was built to not just compete with the Celtics, but to take them out.
For the second time in as many games, Bridges made a game-saving defensive stop on one of the Celtics' two superstars, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. That was something Rose likely did envision when he constructed a roster with a surplus of high-level defensive wings.
Knicks' wing defenders are making an impact.
Through the first two games of the series, Anunoby and Bridges have had a profound impact on both ends of the court. On the defensive end, Anunoby has made things incredibly difficult for Tatum in particular.
According to league tracking data, in Game 1, Anunoby matched up with Tatum 49 times, allowing only 16.3 points per 100 matchups, while adding a steal. In Game 2, Anunoby matched up with Tatum 45 times, allowing only 11.1 points per 100 matchups, with another three steals.
Nothing has been easy for Tatum this series, who is averaging only 18 points while shooting 28.6 percent from the field and 25 percent from three. Of all players who have taken at least 20 shots from the field in their second-round matchups, only Ty Jerome has a lower FG% than Tatum.
It hasn't just been Tatum's shooting, either. He has looked uncomfortable dealing with Anunoby's size and strength over the two games. His handle has been loose, and he appears tentative to put the ball on the floor and drive. He has a total of eight turnovers over the two games as well.
Mikal Bridges' primary matchup over the first two games has been Derrick White. In Game 1, he spent 41 possessions guarding White, allowing 14.6 points per 100 matchups, while in Game 2, he was matched up with White for 21 possessions, allowing 19 points per 100 possessions.
It hasn't just been their one-on-one defense that has stood out. Their versatility, ability to switch, and knack for making big-time plays in big-time moments have been abundantly clear in the two games as well.
Closing ability
The defensive end is only half of the equation. Rose's roster is also constructed to be able to finish the job on the offensive end.
Jalen Brunson is one of the premier shot-makers in the league. His knack for rising to the occasion is now impossible to ignore. He has scored 86 points in the fourth quarters of games so far in the playoffs, which is 40 more than any other player. Part of the reason the Knicks have been able to claw themselves out of these huge deficits is that they have the belief that Brunson will be able to take over any game and win it for them if they can just get close.
It isn't just Brunson, either. Bridges has shown that his clutch play isn't just on the defensive side of the ball. In Game 2, all 14 of his points came in the game's final quarter. And the Knicks needed every single one of them.