A good number of Celtics observers, perhaps even a majority that would include me among them, presumed this second-round series with the Knicks would be a rather ungentlemanly Gentleman’s Sweep in the champs’ favor.
Celtics in five, the thinking went, a logical if slightly arrogant evaluation of a rivalry based in geography rather than any significant shared history in the last 52 years — beyond an occasional playoff series or Bernard King clinic on scoring in the paint, anyway.
Giving the Knicks — who lost all four regular-season matchups by an average of 16.3 points per game — one win was an acknowledgment of their established resilience, but also a nod to the possibility that the Celtics would have one night of abject masonry from behind the 3-point line and refuse to play with enough discipline to overcome it.