A look back at the storied rivalry – NBC Boston

The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks are set to face off in the Eastern Conference semifinals for his or her first playoff collection since 2013.

Though they have not met within the postseason in over a decade, these rivals have a storied playoff historical past. It will mark the sixteenth collection between Boston and New York.

The C’s have received eight of their 15 collection in opposition to the Knicks, with their victories highlighted by dominant runs within the Sixties and ’80s. Additionally they swept New York in 2011, however misplaced in six video games of their 2013 first-round collection.

This yr’s collection is scheduled to begin Monday at TD Garden. Earlier than the motion suggestions off, this is a glance again in any respect 15 earlier collection between Boston and New York:

1951 – East Division Semifinals

Knicks win collection, 2-0.

New York swept Boston within the first playoff assembly between the 2 storied franchises, a best-of-three collection in 1951. Max Zaslofsky led the Knicks with 23 factors per sport. Ed Macauley (22 ppg) paced the C’s in a dropping effort.

The Knicks went on to fall to the Rochester Royals within the 1951 NBA Finals.

1952 – East Division Semifinals

Knicks win collection, 2-1

The Celtics and Knicks met for a postseason rematch in 1952. This time, the C’s pulled off a win at dwelling within the collection opener. They misplaced Recreation 2, nevertheless, on the street.

Recreation 3 was a double-overtime thriller that resulted in an 88-87 Knicks victory. Zaslofsky once more led New York with 19.0 ppg. Bob Cousy averaged 31 for Boston.

The Knicks once more misplaced within the Finals, this time to the Minneapolis Lakers.

1953 – East Division Finals

Knicks win collection, 3-1.

The third time wouldn’t be the allure for the Celtics as they fell to the Knicks within the playoffs but once more, this time within the Division Finals. Six gamers averaged double-figure scoring for New York whereas Bob Cousy (20.8 ppg) and Ed Macauley (17.5 ppg) tried and failed to hold the offensive load for Boston.

For the second straight yr, the Knicks fell to the Lakers within the Finals.

1954 – East Division Spherical Robin

Celtics win collection, 2-0.

Finally, the Celtics acquired the higher of the Knicks in each Spherical Robin matchups. Sadly for Boston, it fell to the Syracuse Nationals within the following spherical.

Within the two video games in opposition to New York, Invoice Sharman and Bob Cousy led the C’s with 24 and 21 ppg, respectively.

The Nationals misplaced to the Lakers within the Finals.

1955 – East Division Semifinals

Celtics win collection, 2-1.

The fifth straight postseason with a Celtics-Knicks collection had Boston popping out on high with a 116-109 Recreation 3 victory. Bob Cousy averaged 27.3 factors per sport, together with a 26-point efficiency within the finale.

Boston fell to Syracuse within the subsequent spherical.

1967 – East Division Semifinals

Celtics win collection, 3-1.

After assembly in 5 consecutive postseasons, it took 12 years for one more collection between Boston and New York. On this one, Sam Jones (33.5 ppg) and John Havlicek (24.3 ppg) starred for the C’s. Invoice Russell averaged a ridiculous 20.3 rebounds over the 4 video games.

The Celtics received the NBA championship each season from 1959 to 1966 whereas the Knicks didn’t clinch a playoff spot for six straight years. In 1967, nevertheless, Boston’s streak of dominance ended with a collection loss to Philadelphia within the subsequent spherical.

1969 – East Division Finals

Celtics win collection, 4-2.

The Russell-led C’s took down the Knicks once more in 1969, this time in six video games to advance to the Finals. Russell averaged 20.8 rebounds within the collection, whereas Havlicek led within the scoring column with 20.7 ppg.

The Celtics defeated the Lakers within the Finals to complete the last decade with 9 titles in 10 seasons.

Getty Photographs

Getty Photographs

1972 – Japanese Convention Finals

Knicks win collection, 4-1.

New York’s playoff collection dropping streak in opposition to Boston got here to an finish in 1972. Havlicek (25.6 ppg) and Jo Jo White (22.6 ppg) did their half for the Russell-less C’s, however Walt Frazier (24.0 ppg) and Co. propelled New York to the NBA Finals, the place it could fall to the Lakers.

1973 – Japanese Convention Finals

Knicks win collection, 4-3.

The Celtics took Recreation 1 of the 1973 East Finals at dwelling, however the Knicks took the following three video games, together with a double-overtime thriller in Recreation 4. After Boston gutted out two powerful wins, New York closed out the collection with a dominant Recreation 7.

Knicks guard Walt Frazier led all scorers with 26.1 factors per sport within the collection. Dave Cowens (24.1 ppg) and Jo Jo White (23.6 ppg) led the way in which for the C’s however suffered the identical destiny because the earlier season.

1974 – Japanese Convention Finals

Celtics win collection, 4-1.

The Celtics avenged their 1972 and 1973 collection losses to the Knicks by lastly taking them down of their third consecutive East Finals assembly. John Havlicek (29.6 ppg) and Dave Cowens (19.0 ppg, 15.0 rpg) had been the celebrities for Boston.

The C’s went on to win their twelfth NBA title, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in seven video games.

1984 – Japanese Convention Semifinals

Celtics win collection, 4-3.

After their 1974 showdown, it took a decade for the Celtics and Knicks to satisfy once more within the playoffs. This time led by Larry Hen, the C’s emerged victorious in an entertaining seven-game collection.

Hen averaged 30.4 factors and 10.6 rebounds. Bernard King’s 29.1 ppg weren’t sufficient to raise New York over the dynastic C’s, who superior to the Finals and took down the Lakers.

1988 – Japanese Convention First Spherical

Celtics win collection, 3-1.

Hen (28.3 ppg) and Kevin McHale (24.3 ppg) led the C’s over the Patrick Ewing-led Knicks in 4 video games within the first spherical of the ’88 playoffs.

Boston superior to the convention finals, the place it fell to the Detroit Pistons.

USA TODAY Sports activities

USA TODAY Sports activities

1990 – Japanese Convention First Spherical

Knicks win collection, 3-2.

The Nineteen Nineties were a rough decade for the Celtics after a historic run within the ’80s. It began with a first-round loss to the Knicks, with Ewing (31.6 ppg, 11.4 rpg) outdueling Hen (24.4 ppg).

New York misplaced to Detroit, the eventual NBA champs, within the subsequent spherical.

2011 – Japanese Convention First Spherical

Celtics win collection, 4-0.

Within the first postseason assembly between these groups in 21 years, the Celtics squeaked out Recreation 1 and Recreation 2 victories in opposition to the Knicks at TD Backyard. They survived a 42-point, 17-rebound efficiency by Carmelo Anthony in Recreation 2.

Boston closed the collection with back-to-back double-digit wins at Madison Sq. Backyard.

Anthony led all scorers with 26.0 ppg within the collection. This was the Celtics’ remaining playoff collection win with the “Huge Three” of Paul Pierce (22.3 ppg), Ray Allen (22.0 ppg), and Kevin Garnett (15.5 ppg, 11.3 rpg) nonetheless intact. They fell to the Miami Warmth within the 2011 East semifinals.

2013 – Japanese Convention First Spherical

Knicks win collection, 4-2.

The final playoff assembly between the Celtics and Knicks got here in 2013. Boston was short-handed within the first-round collection, dropping guard Rajon Rondo to midseason damage.

The C’s misplaced the primary three video games of the collection however staved off elimination with wins in Video games 4 and 5. New York earned an 88-80 victory at TD Backyard to shut out the collection however fell to the Indiana Pacers within the East semifinals.

Anthony averaged 29.2 factors per sport within the collection. Jeff Inexperienced led the Celtics with 20.3 ppg. Recreation 6 was Pierce and Garnett’s remaining sport with the Celtics, as they had been traded to the Brooklyn Nets within the offseason.