It is New York versus Boston with all the things on the road.
Two of the NBA’s premier franchises have been going to battle with each other within the second spherical of the playoffs with the Knicks up 3-2 on the Celtics.
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It’s the sixteenth time the Knicks and Celtics are colliding within the postseason.
However inexplicably just for the third time since 1990.
Boston has received eight of the earlier 15 playoff collection in opposition to New York, most notably throughout dominant runs within the Nineteen Sixties and ’80s.
They’re additionally 4-0 in opposition to the Knicks this season with a mean margin of 16 factors.
Nevertheless, the Knicks wish to shut out the collection Friday night at Madison Sq. Backyard.
Arguably the largest sport for the Knicks within the final 25 years.
It’s the first time the 2 franchises are going through each other within the second spherical of the playoffs since 1984, which stays among the best playoff collection within the storied historical past of the rivalry.
And quite a lot of that’s credit score to Larry Legend.
Larry Chook had among the best performances of his profession in that collection in opposition to the Knicks, out-dueling Bernard King on the opposite facet.
Chook averaged 30.4 factors and 10.6 rebounds, whereas King averaged 29.1 factors.
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The Boston legend saved his finest for final in Sport 7 of the collection in entrance of the house crowd.
Chook led the Celtics to a 121-104 victory, placing up a triple-double, with 39 factors, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
Chook and the Celtics would go on to defeat Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers right away Finals basic, in seven video games.
It was Chook’s second title in 4 years.
The irony within the Boston-New York rivalry is that when upon a time, Chook had truly needed the Knicks to draft him out of school.
Whereas accepting the award for the School Participant of the Yr at a ceremony in New York Metropolis, Chook flat out mentioned the place he want to go, saying he would like to play for both the Knicks or the Nets.
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The explanation?
“Due to the media, and tv,” Chook mentioned on the time, as per The New York Instances.
“There’s extra folks. I feel I belong in New York.”
Popping out of Indiana State in 1978, Chook was seen as one of many high prospects within the draft.
The Knicks had traded for the fourth general decide the day earlier than the draft, whereas the Celtics had the sixth decide.
New York would go on Chook and draft Micheal Ray Richardson at 4.
In the meantime Boston fortunately took Chook with decide No. 6.
And the remainder was historical past.
Now a brand new chapter of the rivalry unfolds, as a Jayson Tatum-less Celtics squad tries to increase its title protection with a win tonight, whereas Jalen Brunson and the gritty Knicks look to advance to the Jap Convention Finals for the primary time since 2000.