After failing to sweep away the Boston Celtics in Game 4, the New York Knicks will return home to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night for Game 5.
NBA Playoffs 2013, Celtics vs. Knicks Game 5: Game time, TV schedule and more
J.R. Smith returns to the lineup as the Knicks will look to send home the Celtics in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks will get J.R. Smith back in the lineup after the Sixth Man of the Year was suspended for throwing an elbow to the head of Jason Terry toward the end of Game 3. Terry responded with a strong performance in Game 4, scoring the last nine Celtics points in a 97-90 overtime victory.
Carmelo Anthony scored 36 points for the Knicks in the loss, but he shot just 10-of-35, missed all seven of his three-point attempts and turned it over seven times. Raymond Felton had 27 points and helped New York come back from a 20-point deficit before losing in the extra period.
So will the Knicks end it in Game 5, or will the Celtics pull off the upset and send it back to Boston for a Game 6? Here are three key questions heading into the game.
Will Melo perform better with Smith back in the lineup?
With Smith out in Game 4, Anthony seemed to be pressing a bit, resorting to isolation sets even more than usual. ESPN New York’s Ian Begley noted that Anthony was in isolation 49 percent of the time in the game, which led to more tough shots and a lot of misses. Smith’s presence in the lineup should help take some scoring pressure off Anthony and allow for more efficient offense.
Can Terry continue momentum from Game 4?
Terry has been a pretty big disappointment in Boston this season, especially over the last month or so of the year. After scoring just nine points combined in Games 1 and 2, Terry finally started to show signs of life with a 14-point outing in Game 3. Then came his clutch Game 4 performance, where he looked like the player that helped the Dallas Mavericks win an NBA championship in 2011. The Celtics need that Terry again in order to keep this series alive.
Will the Celtics find enough offense?
Boston’s offense has struggled mightily in the series, failing to reach 80 points in three of the four games. The Celtics’ offense has had some decent first half moments, but they have consistently crumbled in the second half. Obviously finding offense in the second half of Game 5 will be key, but a good start is imperative as well. If Boston struggles to score at the outset and they fall behind early, it’s hard to envision them coming back on the road based on how this series has played out thus far.
Game time: 7 p.m. ET
National TV: TNT
Local TV: MSG Network and Comcast Sports Net New England
Odds: The Knicks are 8½-point favorites according to Oddsshark.com.
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