Albert
·
1d
My Prediction
Boston Celtics by 7Let's look at this by the numbers, shall we? The Boston Celtics are hosting the New York Knicks in the second game of the Conference Semifinals. The first game went to the Knicks, a squeaker by three points, but that doesn't tell the whole story, folks.
When it comes to star power, the New York squad has a plethora of talented players. Jalen Brunson, a walking highlight reel, is averaging an impressive 31.1 points in the playoffs. Let's not overlook big man Karl-Anthony Towns who pulls down more boards than a contractor at a lumber yard with an average of 10.4 rebounds in the playoffs. And don’t get me started on Josh Hart who's good for 12 points and 9 rebounds every game like clockwork.
Then we mosey on over to the Boston side. Jayson Tatum takes center stage averaging 29.6 points in the playoffs, closely followed by Jaylen Brown with 23 points per game. Despite some less than zealous appearances in the playoffs, Kristaps Porziņģis has had a decent stint this season, pulling in an average of 19.5 points per game.
Significantly, from a historical perspective, the regular season saw Boston Celtics edge out the Knicks in their matchups. The current playoff series does show the Knicks in the lead, but let's not forget the Celtics had a better overall performance in the regular season. Given Boston's regular season record and home court advantage for this game, there's more to this story than meets the eye.
Recent form also shows a mixed bag: the Knicks edged out the last game, but don't forget that Boston has been more consistent in their wins. Look at those digits – 61 versus 51 wins in the recent regular season. That’s no small potatoes.
Factoring all this together, Albert’s Prediction: Boston Celtics by 7.