NBA

With no true point guard, Celtics’ attack sputters

BOSTON — When the final verse in this series is written, perhaps as soon as Sunday, on the 2012-13 Celtics playoffs, the cause of demise could be either of two entries: the Knicks defense, the Celtics’ lack of a true point guard.

Go with the latter.

In Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference first round series against the Knicks, the Celtics made “Walking Dead” cameos after halftime. Last night, they beat the rush, ended the suspense, snuffed the drama. They stunk from the start.

Hoping to feed off the enormous energy and enthusiasm that swirled through every inch of TD Garden by the presence of medical, police and fire department heroes from the Boston Marathon tragedy, the Celtics flopped. And through an offensively inept, turnover-laded 90-76 loss, they are squirming in an 0-3 hole.

“Nothing worked. Not a surprise start by Jason Terry over Brandon Bass. Not the shooting. Nothing. They committed 18 turnovers. And that’s not by accident.

“A huge factor,” coach Doc Rivers said of the turnovers. “We fought for a little while, kind of gave in. We got our fight back a little bit in the third quarter … and that’s when the turnover barrage began.”

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The lack of a true point guard — Avery Bradley, known for defense has tried to handle the position — has strangled the Boston offense as much as the Knicks. The Celtics lost starter Rajon Rondo then backup Leandro Barbosa, both to torn ACLs, a few weeks apart in late January, early February.

Bradley has tried, but isn’t a point guard. Conversely, the Knicks have ridden Raymond Felton. Rivers frequently has stressed how Felton has been “killing” the Celtics.

“He’s getting into the paint, he’s attacking us off the dribble and pick-and-rolls,” Rivers said. “[Carmelo Anthony] and J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin have been fantastic. You can make the case that the guy who has been the most important person for them has been Raymond Felton. He’s been really good.”

And in an attempt to help Bradley, Rivers started Terry.

“It was just to alleviate some pressure from Avery. All the ball-handling that he’s doing — it’s just too much,” Rivers said.

The small lineup didn’t work, either. And Felton had his way. Again.

Asked earlier yesterday about what adjustments he expected, Felton said, “I just have to see how they guard me in the first half and I adjust to that. I feel I can get to the basket at any time, at any point in the game.”

“Everybody’s going to have confidence in themselves. I can’t knock him for that. I have confidence in myself, especially defensively,” Bradley said.

Felton was only part of the problem last night. The Knicks rolled all over the Celtics, who have not scored 80 points in a game yet (78, 71, 76).

* Rivers on his $25,000 fine for calling the officiating “horrendous” in Game 2: “I didn’t get fined for being wrong. I got fined because I said it.”