Richard Perry/The New York Times
The Celtics' Jason Terry scored half of his 18 points in overtime. More Photos »
By HOWARD BECK
Published: April 28, 2013
BOSTON — Jason Terry was upright again Sunday afternoon, his chin and his jump shot in working order, his conviction strong and his missions clear: Save the Boston Celtics’ season. Extend an era. If at all possible, irritate the Knicks just a little bit more.
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Related
Celtics Muster a Day’s Worth of Defiance (April 29, 2013)
On Pro Basketball: Knicks Hit Bump on Road to Next Round(April 29, 2013)
Keep up with the latest news, on the court and off, with The Times's basketball blog.
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It took five flicks of the wrist, in 66 seconds, to make it all possible.
Terry scored the Celtics’ last 9 points in overtime, delivering a 97-90 victory at TD Garden, denying the Knicks a sweep and sending the series back to New York for Game 5.
When he was finished, Terry, whose nickname is Jet, smiled and extended his arms into wings for a brief, celebratory flight.
“As long as there’s time on the clock, as long as there is another game, it’s an opportunity for me to do something special,” Terry said.
For Boston, this was poetic justice — repayment for the Knicks’ J. R. Smith’s elbowing Terry in the face in Game 3. While Smith served a one-game suspension Sunday, the Knicks ultimately buckled and Terry soared.
The Knicks erased a 20-point deficit in the second half and a 5-point deficit in the final minutes of regulation, but there was little else to like after an afternoon in which they shot 34.4 percent and produced just 10 assists.
Carmelo Anthony commandeered the offense, shooting 35 times, as if he intended to single-handedly replace Smith’s offense. But he converted just 10 of those shots and had 7 turnovers.
“I was trying to win the basketball game,” said Anthony, who finished with 36 points and was trying to complete the first playoff sweep of his career. “It would have been a great feeling to close it out here in Boston, so I was trying to do whatever I could to win the basketball game.”
As great a clutch shooter as Anthony has been in his career, this was a day the Knicks could have used Smith’s uncanny touch.
Anthony missed three of four shots in overtime, including a rushed 3-pointer with 20 seconds left and the Knicks trailing, 93-90. He missed his last five shots in regulation, including two attempts on the Knicks’ last possession, with the score tied, 84-84. He also missed two free throws with 1 minute 50 seconds left in the fourth quarter and walked away shaking his head.
“When the game is on the line, you’re going to give the ball to No. 7,” Raymond Felton said, referring to Anthony. “That’s what we’ve been doing all year; there’s no need to change it now.”
Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 29 points, his best game of the series by far, and Kevin Garnett added 13 points and 17 rebounds in what might have been their final home game together. Jeff Green added 26 points.
The Celtics were perhaps seconds away from elimination and an off-season of radical change, but Pierce said he never had any doubts.
“I already called my friends in New York yesterday, telling them I’d be there for dinner,” he said.
Terry, who was signed to replace Ray Allen last summer, had been a bust in the series until Sunday. He finished with 18 points, perhaps inspired by Smith’s elbow.
“He was definitely vocal,” Coach Doc Rivers said. “Someone said it yesterday — maybe that elbow, who knows — said it changed the events for all of us. Definitely, Jason Terry was angry that it happened.”
So the Knicks left Boston still in search of their first playoff series victory in 13 years. They will try again Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
The sour finish overshadowed a thrilling second-half comeback, spearheaded by Anthony and Felton, who scored 16 of his 27 points in a blistering third-quarter rally. Felton also gave the Knicks their first — and only — lead of the afternoon, 84-82, with an 18-footer with 1:18 left in the fourth.
The Knicks trailed by 19 points at halftime — their biggest deficit of the series, by far — having converted just 11 of 38 shots (28.9 percent), with Anthony going 3 for 15. He was beyond erratic, shooting air balls, picking up offensive fouls, committing five turnovers and negating a Felton free throw with a lane violation.
Terry put the Celtics ahead for good on a pull-up 3-pointer, for a 91-88 lead. Anthony hit a jumper, but Terry answered with a 13-foot fadeaway, then put the game away with two free throws.
Smith has been as indispensable as any Knicks star this season, providing points, clutch shots, defense and fire. Until Sunday, he had played in every meaningful game — sitting out only the last two regular-season games.
The suspension could not have come as a shock — there was ample precedent — but the ruling rankled the Knicks all the same.
“I’m not even going to comment on that,” Coach Mike Woodson said before the game. “Not at all.”
Under league rules, Smith was not permitted to attend the game. His Twitter feed has been silent since the suspension was announced.
“He’s a little down, but he’ll rebound from it,” Woodson said.
Without Smith, Woodson used Jason Kidd as his first guard off the bench, then filled the open minutes with Steve Novak and Quentin Richardson, none of whom could remotely replicate Smith’s firepower. Woodson effectively tightened the rotation to seven players for the second half. The Knicks’ bench produced just 7 points.
“We obviously missed J. R. tonight,” said Tyson Chandler, who had 11 rebounds and kept the Knicks in the game with a series of tap-outs. “We still had our shots, though.”
The Celtics jumped ahead in the opening minutes and took their first double-digit lead of the series in the second quarter while the Knicks unraveled behind a series of turnovers and clanked jumpers.
Pierce had 17 points by halftime, matching his Game 3 scoring total, every swish eliciting a powerful roar, as if any one of those shots might be his last here.
“We have to be confident going back home,” Anthony said. He added, “We look forward to Wednesday, I can tell you that.”
BOSTON — Jason Terry was upright again Sunday afternoon, his chin and his jump shot in working order, his conviction strong and his missions clear: Save the Boston Celtics’ season. Extend an era. If at all possible, irritate the Knicks just a little bit more.
Multimedia
Related
Celtics Muster a Day’s Worth of Defiance (April 29, 2013)
On Pro Basketball: Knicks Hit Bump on Road to Next Round(April 29, 2013)
Keep up with the latest news, on the court and off, with The Times's basketball blog.
N.B.A.
Knicks
Nets
W.N.B.A.
Liberty
It took five flicks of the wrist, in 66 seconds, to make it all possible.
Terry scored the Celtics’ last 9 points in overtime, delivering a 97-90 victory at TD Garden, denying the Knicks a sweep and sending the series back to New York for Game 5.
When he was finished, Terry, whose nickname is Jet, smiled and extended his arms into wings for a brief, celebratory flight.
“As long as there’s time on the clock, as long as there is another game, it’s an opportunity for me to do something special,” Terry said.
For Boston, this was poetic justice — repayment for the Knicks’ J. R. Smith’s elbowing Terry in the face in Game 3. While Smith served a one-game suspension Sunday, the Knicks ultimately buckled and Terry soared.
The Knicks erased a 20-point deficit in the second half and a 5-point deficit in the final minutes of regulation, but there was little else to like after an afternoon in which they shot 34.4 percent and produced just 10 assists.
Carmelo Anthony commandeered the offense, shooting 35 times, as if he intended to single-handedly replace Smith’s offense. But he converted just 10 of those shots and had 7 turnovers.
“I was trying to win the basketball game,” said Anthony, who finished with 36 points and was trying to complete the first playoff sweep of his career. “It would have been a great feeling to close it out here in Boston, so I was trying to do whatever I could to win the basketball game.”
As great a clutch shooter as Anthony has been in his career, this was a day the Knicks could have used Smith’s uncanny touch.
Anthony missed three of four shots in overtime, including a rushed 3-pointer with 20 seconds left and the Knicks trailing, 93-90. He missed his last five shots in regulation, including two attempts on the Knicks’ last possession, with the score tied, 84-84. He also missed two free throws with 1 minute 50 seconds left in the fourth quarter and walked away shaking his head.
“When the game is on the line, you’re going to give the ball to No. 7,” Raymond Felton said, referring to Anthony. “That’s what we’ve been doing all year; there’s no need to change it now.”
Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 29 points, his best game of the series by far, and Kevin Garnett added 13 points and 17 rebounds in what might have been their final home game together. Jeff Green added 26 points.
The Celtics were perhaps seconds away from elimination and an off-season of radical change, but Pierce said he never had any doubts.
“I already called my friends in New York yesterday, telling them I’d be there for dinner,” he said.
Terry, who was signed to replace Ray Allen last summer, had been a bust in the series until Sunday. He finished with 18 points, perhaps inspired by Smith’s elbow.
“He was definitely vocal,” Coach Doc Rivers said. “Someone said it yesterday — maybe that elbow, who knows — said it changed the events for all of us. Definitely, Jason Terry was angry that it happened.”
So the Knicks left Boston still in search of their first playoff series victory in 13 years. They will try again Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
The sour finish overshadowed a thrilling second-half comeback, spearheaded by Anthony and Felton, who scored 16 of his 27 points in a blistering third-quarter rally. Felton also gave the Knicks their first — and only — lead of the afternoon, 84-82, with an 18-footer with 1:18 left in the fourth.
The Knicks trailed by 19 points at halftime — their biggest deficit of the series, by far — having converted just 11 of 38 shots (28.9 percent), with Anthony going 3 for 15. He was beyond erratic, shooting air balls, picking up offensive fouls, committing five turnovers and negating a Felton free throw with a lane violation.
Terry put the Celtics ahead for good on a pull-up 3-pointer, for a 91-88 lead. Anthony hit a jumper, but Terry answered with a 13-foot fadeaway, then put the game away with two free throws.
Smith has been as indispensable as any Knicks star this season, providing points, clutch shots, defense and fire. Until Sunday, he had played in every meaningful game — sitting out only the last two regular-season games.
The suspension could not have come as a shock — there was ample precedent — but the ruling rankled the Knicks all the same.
“I’m not even going to comment on that,” Coach Mike Woodson said before the game. “Not at all.”
Under league rules, Smith was not permitted to attend the game. His Twitter feed has been silent since the suspension was announced.
“He’s a little down, but he’ll rebound from it,” Woodson said.
Without Smith, Woodson used Jason Kidd as his first guard off the bench, then filled the open minutes with Steve Novak and Quentin Richardson, none of whom could remotely replicate Smith’s firepower. Woodson effectively tightened the rotation to seven players for the second half. The Knicks’ bench produced just 7 points.
“We obviously missed J. R. tonight,” said Tyson Chandler, who had 11 rebounds and kept the Knicks in the game with a series of tap-outs. “We still had our shots, though.”
The Celtics jumped ahead in the opening minutes and took their first double-digit lead of the series in the second quarter while the Knicks unraveled behind a series of turnovers and clanked jumpers.
Pierce had 17 points by halftime, matching his Game 3 scoring total, every swish eliciting a powerful roar, as if any one of those shots might be his last here.
“We have to be confident going back home,” Anthony said. He added, “We look forward to Wednesday, I can tell you that.”
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