The Celtics should run offense

The Knicks steal two in Boston

The Celtics are the better team, but not enough to survive unimaginative offense and cold shooting. MADDIE MEYER/GETTY IMAGES

What’s crazier than the start of the second round of these playoffs? I’ve been watching everything, and will tell you what I see in every series, starting with the series the New York Knicks somehow lead 2-0 over the defending champion Boston Celtics:

It would be easy to focus on Jaylen Brunson’s brilliant shot making and his overall toughness. He is simply an incredible force on the court, and being that it’s so close to June and draft season, I have to add this: Holy Moses did the league miss his incredible performance at Villanova. I’m sure they were scared off by his lack of size and athleticism, so he fell to the second round. What a lesson the league should learn. And then again: the Mavericks had him on their roster, but not like this! New team, new system, new responsibilities, tons of royal jelly, and he is one title away from being an all-time Knicks legend. No one saw that coming.

Remember that when the draft “experts” talk about the 2025 draft. Toughness is a talent, and toughness often beats skill and craft. This draft will also have players they tell us are too small to play that position at the next level. Oops.

But there’s more to this series than Brunson.