Stan Van Gundy pointed out that the Knicks had five of the top six players prior to their first-round playoff matchup against Detroit.
However, it’s not typical for the Knicks to follow this trend, especially after a grueling six-game series that ended poorly for them. Now, they’re set to face the reigning NBA champions in the Eastern Conference Semifinals starting Monday night at TD Garden in Boston (7pm, TNT).
The Celtics’ starting lineup, which is highly regarded, includes four players who are All-Stars, with Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown leading the pack. They’ve had to adjust, as Tatum and Jrue Holiday have missed time, resulting in changes during their five games against the Magic.
In this second round, both coaches—Tom Thibodeau and Joe Mazzulla—typically use fewer than nine players in their rotations. In tighter contests, they tend to narrow it down to eight, barring injuries or significant foul issues.
