Chris Mannix

Yeah.

Yeah, Durant – Just think – Durant would threaten to retire, I think.

Yeah, Durant – Just think – Durant would threaten to retire, I think.

Yeah, Durant – Just think – Durant would threaten to retire, I think.

I thought they'd win in five games. The regular season series doesn't always forecast what a series is going to look like. And the caveat of Nick Celtics in the regular season is that I think three of those games were played without Mitchell Robinson. So you knew he'd be a difference maker.

I thought they'd win in five games. The regular season series doesn't always forecast what a series is going to look like. And the caveat of Nick Celtics in the regular season is that I think three of those games were played without Mitchell Robinson. So you knew he'd be a difference maker.

I thought they'd win in five games. The regular season series doesn't always forecast what a series is going to look like. And the caveat of Nick Celtics in the regular season is that I think three of those games were played without Mitchell Robinson. So you knew he'd be a difference maker.

But I thought the Celtics' shot-making coupled with the Knicks' mediocre defense would be enough for them to win these games. I mean, they won two of them in the regular season by 20-plus, three of them by double figures. They got it done. The difference, though, in this series is that in clutch minutes, Jalen Brunson has been by far and away the best player on the floor.

But I thought the Celtics' shot-making coupled with the Knicks' mediocre defense would be enough for them to win these games. I mean, they won two of them in the regular season by 20-plus, three of them by double figures. They got it done. The difference, though, in this series is that in clutch minutes, Jalen Brunson has been by far and away the best player on the floor.

But I thought the Celtics' shot-making coupled with the Knicks' mediocre defense would be enough for them to win these games. I mean, they won two of them in the regular season by 20-plus, three of them by double figures. They got it done. The difference, though, in this series is that in clutch minutes, Jalen Brunson has been by far and away the best player on the floor.

I was looking at some of these numbers. The Celtics... With the score within five points in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime, 12 points on 24 possessions in this series. Three of 23 shooting, one of 11 from three-point range, four turnovers in those minutes.

I was looking at some of these numbers. The Celtics... With the score within five points in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime, 12 points on 24 possessions in this series. Three of 23 shooting, one of 11 from three-point range, four turnovers in those minutes.

I was looking at some of these numbers. The Celtics... With the score within five points in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime, 12 points on 24 possessions in this series. Three of 23 shooting, one of 11 from three-point range, four turnovers in those minutes.

They have been awful in clutch time minutes, whereas the Knicks turn the ball over to Brunson, and he finds a way to make plays offensively. I didn't anticipate having that big an impact on the series.

They have been awful in clutch time minutes, whereas the Knicks turn the ball over to Brunson, and he finds a way to make plays offensively. I didn't anticipate having that big an impact on the series.

They have been awful in clutch time minutes, whereas the Knicks turn the ball over to Brunson, and he finds a way to make plays offensively. I didn't anticipate having that big an impact on the series.

Yeah, and this group, like, you look at Denver from a couple of years ago. Like, they kept their core together, but they did lose some pieces on the fringes. The Bruce Browns, the Jeff Greens. That, in part, explains why they weren't able to repeat. The Celtics brought basically everybody back. Like, they've had the injury to Sam Houser in the series already.

Yeah, and this group, like, you look at Denver from a couple of years ago. Like, they kept their core together, but they did lose some pieces on the fringes. The Bruce Browns, the Jeff Greens. That, in part, explains why they weren't able to repeat. The Celtics brought basically everybody back. Like, they've had the injury to Sam Houser in the series already.

Yeah, and this group, like, you look at Denver from a couple of years ago. Like, they kept their core together, but they did lose some pieces on the fringes. The Bruce Browns, the Jeff Greens. That, in part, explains why they weren't able to repeat. The Celtics brought basically everybody back. Like, they've had the injury to Sam Houser in the series already.

I need to know more about this Porzingis illness. It's wild. It's one of the wilder stories, I think, of this whole postseason. I've been extremely disappointed in the defense of Derek White and, to a lesser degree, Drew Holiday. They're there purportedly as two of the best defensive guards in the NBA, and they can do nothing with Jalen Brunson.