The 20-point comeback was a victory for plantation basketball

The first game of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Knicks and the Celtics went to overtime, and the game was definitely up and down. And the process of ending the game in overtime at the end of time was even more unexpected by everyone.

The Celtics trailed three sideline balls with three seconds left on the clock. I thought about a lot of possibilities, whether the Celtics would or didn't score a three-pointer, whether the Knicks would choose to foul early for a penalty, but I definitely didn't expect the ball to be sent to Brown and then snatched by Bridges.

Bridges had played 51 minutes at this time, 46 minutes in regulation time, and full overtime. But he still maintained 100% concentration, accurately judged the landing point of the Celtics' serve, took the basketball directly from Brown's arms, and used up the last trace of strength.

Less than a month ago, at the end of the regular season, the Knicks and Celtics also played overtime, and in the end, Bridges' fatal mistake allowed the Celtics to sweep the Knicks in the regular season.

The Celtics swept four games against the Knicks in the regular season, winning by as many as 16.3 points per game, completely overpowering the opponent. I still remember the season opener, when the Knicks, who had been greatly strengthened in the offseason, confidently faced the Green Army, and then were shot by the opponent for three-point shooting.

So when the two teams meet in the semifinals, no one can believe that the Knicks can win against the Celtics in the end. When the Celtics led the Knicks by 20 points in the third quarter today, the distrust of the Knicks reached its highest point, but the Knicks' counterattack had just begun.

The Knicks tied the score 31-11, during which Anunoby's offensive firepower was full, with 12 points in the third quarter, eight points in the fourth quarter, and 20 points in the second half. After coming to the Knicks, defensive stalwart O.G. Anunoby had the best offensive season of his career, shooting 38.8 percent from three-point range in the playoffs.

During this period, the Celtics' three-point shooting rate began to fall rapidly, and the disadvantages of relying too much on three-point shooting on the offensive end began to appear. Boshen played only 13 minutes today before exiting the game due to illness, which caused them to further lose the means to score inside the three-point line.

After the Knicks tied the 20-point deficit, it was Brunson's turn to play time, and he hit three three-pointers in a row to score 11 straight points at 86-97. If it weren't for the backing of people like Holiday and White, the Celtics wouldn't have been able to withstand it in regular time.

Tatum shot 0-of-7 from the field throughout the fourth quarter, including missing five three-pointers and making his final few three-point attempts. In overtime, Tatum didn't shoot a three-pointer, but he made an extremely outrageous mid-range shot, conceding eight consecutive shots in the fourth quarter and overtime before hitting the basket.

Brown wasn't much better, too, as he made 1-of-10 three-pointers and missed nine in the first row before hitting one in overtime. The Celtics' duo both scored 23 points today, with Tatum 7-of-23 and Brown 7-of-20; Tatum was 4-of-15 from three-point range and Brown was 1-of-10 from three-point range.

It was a typical Celtics-style loss, when everyone couldn't shoot a three-pointer, as if they could only wait for death to come. Today, the Celtics made 15 three-pointers and took a whopping 60 shots, while the Knicks made 17 three-pointers and only took 37 shots.

The Celtics made a playoff record for both three-point attempts and iron hits, and they only made 97 shots in total. The top two seeds in the East both lost in Game 1, and the way they lost was similar, and the Celtics were even more fazed than the Cavaliers.

This is the Knicks' second playoff victory over the Celtics in 12 years, the last time was on May 4, 2013, when the main theme of the two sides was Anthony vs. the twilight Big Three. And 12 years later, the only thing to watch in the Celtics' game seems to be their three-point shooting percentage.

The Celtics' style of play has allowed them to win championships, and they have been at the top of the league for several years. But this kind of play that only shoots three-pointers and believes in mathematics is really not very good-looking.

This is also a victory for Thibodeau Plantation basketball, compared to the explosive form of the first round, Brunson scored 29 points on 9-of-23 today, and Holiday was very restrictive to him. But when he scored 11 points in a row in the final quarter, he really deserved to be the best key ball of the season.

The Knicks started four minutes or more than 44 minutes, Bridges played 51 minutes, and Towns played 31 minutes because he was in foul trouble. Miro was executed by Mazzulla for a "slashing" tactic when he was on the court today, but when he was on the court, the Knicks' rebounds were guaranteed. McBride's 11 points off the bench were also crucial.

The Knicks are actually a seven-man rotation, and in a more extreme state, they will only use the starting five + McBride. Keeping the best players on the court as much as possible is the essence of Thibodeau Plantation basketball, and of course Redick's five-man behavior of playing the second half was too aggressive.

Plantation basketball may not be able to overtake the Celtics in the end, but such a win is enough to be enthusiastic.