Image via Complex Original
"It's a rivalry?" Paul Pierce's words, not ours. With the Celtics maintaining their dominance over the Atlantic Division for so long, it was the New York Knicks who fell off the NBA radar and needed something to revive both the team and the city. With the signing of Amar'e Stoudemire over the off-season and the acquisition of Carmelo Anthony during the season, the Knicks are back in the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Fittingly, this Sunday at 7 p.m., New York will face Boston in the playoffs for the first time in 21 years. In anticipation of their upcoming Eastern Conference first round match-up, we give you 8 Great Moments in the Celtics-Knicks Rivalry. Yes, the rivalry is back, baby! Yup, we're turning our Dick Vitale swag on.
1973 Conference Finals
DATE: 4/15 - 4/29/1973
RESULT: Knicks won the series 4-3
COMPLEX SAYS: After going 68-14 during the regular season and sporting one of the best teams ever assembled (featured two future Hall of Famers and a slew of NBA All-Stars and champions), the C's seemed destined to do big things come playoff time. Then the Knicks came along. After a hard-fought battle between the two teams, New York came out victorious in Game 7 at the Boston Garden; stunning and breaking the hearts of everyone in Beantown. The Knicks led by Walt Frazier and David DeBusschere eventually went on to face the Lakers in the Finals and beat them in just five games. Sometimes having one of the best records and best players in the league doesn't ensure a championship. Ahem, word to the Miami Heat.
C's Get the Best of Bernard King
DATE: 4/29 - 5/13/1984
RESULT: Boston won the series 4-3
COMPLEX SAYS: Even after Bernard King dropped 40 on the Celtics twice during the 1984 Eastern Conference semi-finals, Boston still got the best of their rivals and won the series in seven at the Boston Garden. The Celtics would eventually go on to win the NBA Finals over the Los Angeles Lakers. Ya can't hate on a hard fought series where David (the Knicks with King) pushes Goliath (the C's with Bird, Parish, and McHale) to the brink of elimination. #keepit100
Double-Overtime Shocker at the Boston Garden
DATE: 11/18/1987
RESULT: New York 109 at Boston 111
COMPLEX SAYS: Without Larry Bird or Kevin McHale playing, the Celtics still found a way to come back from a 28-point deficit and beat New York on a game-winning tip in double overtime by Darren Daye. The Knicks blowing a huge lead and eventually losing the game? Damn, some things just never seem to change.
The Knicks Comeback
DATE: 4/26 - 5/6/1990
RESULT: Knicks won series 3-2
COMPLEX SAYS: After going down 2-0 in the first round of the 1990 playoffs to the Celtics, the Knicks came back and won the next two games to set the stage for the best-of-five series finale in the Boston Garden. Patrick Ewing, Gerald Wilkins, and veteran Maurice Cheeks led New York to a 121-114 victory over the Celtics. Don't worry Boston sports fans, you eventually got the last laugh.
Beatdown in Beantown
DATE: 11/29/2007
RESULT: New York 59 - Boston 104
COMPLEX SAYS: In what could best be described as a straight-up ass-kicking, the original Big Three beat down the much-hated Knickerbockers in front of the Boston faithful. If it wasn't for a three-pointer hit at the buzzer by Nate Robinson, the Celtics would be the team responsible for the Knicks' lowest point total in a single game. Hey Knick fans, at least he didn't almost add to the C's point total instead. The Celtics would go on to win their 17th NBA championship, while the Knicks finished with a record of 23-59 at the bottom of the Atlantic division. Surprising, huh?
Q vs. Pierce
DATE: 1/21/2008
RESULT: Boston 109 at New York 93
COMPLEX SAYS: While no one knows the real reason why Quentin Richardson has beef with Paul Pierce, one thing's for sure, the two just cannot be in the same room or arena together. After all the shoving and trash-talking, the refs had enough and ejected both players. After being thrown out, Q repeatedly threatened to meet Pierce near the locker rooms, and settle this feud once and for all. C'mon guys, on an MLK day game, you're gonna pull this shit? Dr. King wanted all people to join hands, not throw blows. Sidebar: Q's kicks >>> Pierce's. #justsayin'
The Buzzer Beater That Wasn't
DATE: 12/15/2010
RESULT: Boston 118 at New York 116
COMPLEX SAYS: It didn't take long for Amar'e to ignite a fire back into a pretty stale Celtics-Knicks rivalry. In his first game against Boston at the Garden, STAT came a few tenths of a second short of hitting what would have been a game-winning three-pointer for New York. Speaking of knocking down clutch shots, what's up with Nate going literally nuts over Paul Pierce? Damn homie, relax.
"Elbow-Gate"
DATE: 3/21/2011
RESULT: Boston 96 at New York 86
COMPLEX SAYS: In what we're calling "Elbow-Gate," Ray Allen takes a vicious blow to the head resulting in blood being drawn, and a concerned momma on the sidelines. Later on, Rajon Rondo gets some unintentional redemption on Carmelo Anthony, who also gets bloodied up by the incidental contact. Not to be outdone, "Big Baby" decided to get all dramatic after getting tapped on the face by Melo's elbow. We'll give you a seven for the acting, but a five-point reduction for your well-known reputation of bitchassness.
