By Conor Ryan
May 5, 2025 | 6:46 PM
The Celtics are considered the overwhelming favorites in their second-round matchup against the New York Knicks — with DraftKings tabbing Boston with -800 odds to again punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals.
But while most of the matchups favor a Celtics team that won all four of its games against New York during regular-season play, former Boston center and current ESPN basketball pundit Kendrick Perkins isn’t expecting a cake walk for the defending champions.
“This better go to seven games. I believe it will,” Perkins said of this upcoming series on ESPN’s “First Take” on Monday morning. “I’ve got Boston picked to win in seven, but I think the Knicks will push them to seven. And the Knicks actually have got a shot to win this series. I think the physicality of the Detroit series helped them to prepare for this series.”
Perkins is no stranger to doling out bold takes around the postseason, especially when it comes to Boston’s viability as a feared juggernaut in the league.
His observations about the Knicks overcoming a physical Detroit roster could arguably also apply to Boston taking down a scrappy Orlando roster in five games during the opening round.
Despite taking their fair share of welts against the Magic — who were whistled for three flagrant fouls over the first three games of that series — the Celtics did not get embroiled in Orlando’s post-whistle antics as the matchup carried on.
That veteran mettle and outright talent present on Boston’s roster played into why ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith believes this could be a short series, even when factoring in his affinity for the Knicks.
“We all know it’s all hands on deck with Boston, okay? And so to answer the question directly, I’ll be proud of the Knicks if they push this to six [games]. “So since I’ve got them losing in five, as much as I’m rooting for them and I’m praying that they make me out to be a liar — if I’m just being neutral in terms of [being] objective.
“Rather, I’ve got them losing this in five games, which means they’re closer to a sweep than a seven-game series. That’s how I’m looking at it right now.”
Even though the Knicks upgraded their roster by dealing for both Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges this offseason, New York struggled to counter whatever it was that the Celtics threw at them during regular-season play.
During Boston’s series sweep against the Knicks this season, the Celtics won those matchups by an average of 16.4 points.
Unlike the Magic — who partially succeeded in limiting Boston’s barrage of shots from 3-point range — the Knicks were regularly picked on by Boston on the defensive side of the ball, including a season-opening 132-109 victory in October where the Celtics tied an NBA record with 29 3-pointers.
Add in the fact that Jrue Holiday is expected to return to the court Monday after missing three games vs. Orlando (hamstring strain), and ESPN reporter Brian Windhorst believes that it would be a surprise if the Knicks manage to make this a somewhat competitive series.
“If the Knicks get this to six games — it’s a spectacular accomplishment, and that’s not a commentary on the Knicks as much as it’s a commentary on the Celtics,” Windhorst said. “I just want to remind everybody — they’re 20-4 in the last two postseasons. That’s over five series.
“Nobody has taken them to six games. And let me tell you something else. … The Celtics made news by having no news — when they put out their injury report, there was nothing on it. No [Kristaps] Porzingis. No Jrue. No Jaylen Brown. Everybody is healthy. … They are going to be at full power tonight with rest.”
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