Glen Davis acknowledged the skills of Amar’e Stoudemire. But the Celtics’ power forward said guarding the Knicks’ All-Star is no big deal.
“It’s really not that hard,” Davis said. “I don’t know why. I’ve been tripping. I give him too much credit. I just have to make him react to me, not me react to him because it’s too late. If he gets one step on you, he’s too strong and too quick. You just have to make him play your game.”
So what must he take away?
“Just his aggressiveness,” Davis said. “He’s so aggressive. Make it hard on him. It’s going to be a dogfight. I just let him know that every play.”
Though the Celtics don’t have Shaquille O’Neal for Game 1 and probably Game 2, Davis said it “most definitely” won’t hurt them against the Knicks, who don’t have a bona fide center.
Davis also said the extra rest should benefit O’Neal.
*
Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni sounded as impassioned as he had since the Feb. 22 trade before leaving yesterday for Boston.
D’Antoni, making his playoff debut as Knicks head coach, got his hackles up when asked if a good representation in the first round will be good enough. D’Antoni’s future could hinge on how well the Knicks fare versus Boston the first round.
D’Antoni has one year left on is contract and his status could be tied to team president Donnie Walsh’s uncertain future. But D’Antoni is expected to be back if the Knicks give the Celtics a very tough series. D’Antoni laughed when asked about his future.
“I’m going to enjoy this,” D’Antoni said. “I hope we have a heckuva series. The other stuff I never really worry about. The time will come we have to do business and we do it. It doesn’t enter my mind. I’m happy to coach a team that’s in the playoffs and a bunch of guys who really want to win.”
D’Antoni has a 26-25 playoff record, accrued in Phoenix. He has been to the Western Conference finals twice. The Suns were eliminated by the Spurs in five games in 2008 three years ago, leading to a rift with Suns management and his departure.
“It was just time,” D’Antoni said.
Sources said D’Antoni was mixed on the deal, feeling they gave up too many pieces. Yesterday, D’Antoni was asked how he would feel going to Boston with the old club — with Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton and Timofey Mozgov.
“I loved those guys. I would’ve been confident going in with them,” D’Antoni said. “Melo [Carmelo Anthony] and Chauncey [Billups] have been there a lot, so you are more confident, but some of it is rattled by not being together long. I like the other group too but the franchise is richer and better and the future is going upward. I’m hoping it starts now.”
*
Walsh will travel with the club during the playoffs. Walsh, who had hip-replacement surgery in November, made his first road trip last Sunday to Indiana. . . . Owner James Dolan is likely to appear in Boston today over the Rangers’ playoff game at the Garden. . . . The Knicks’ last playoff win was April, 2001 over Toronto.
*
Many watching this series first round series are really looking forward to the Anthony-Paul Pierce matchup.
Pierce is not one of them.
“We’re looking forward to the matchup with the Knicks. I don’t really play the one-on-one battle games because I’m not going to be the only one guarding him,” Pierce said. “You’ll have Jeff [Green] guarding him, Ray [Allen] guarding him. That’s not what I’m concerned about.”
*
Celtics coach Doc Rivers has seen the difficulty in guarding a bevy of great scorer from the plus side with Kevin Garnett-Pierce-Allen. Now he has to see it from the opposite view as he prepares to go after Anthony, Stoudemire and Billups.
“That’s a burden. That’s a tough one,” Rivers said. “Every time you get in a close game with them, it’s extremely dangerous because they’ve got three guys that can just make shots whether you play good defense or not. So yeah, that’s what makes this series so tough.
“The playoffs are about taking you out of your sets,” he said. “Players make the plays. And they have three guys who can make plays so we have to be ready for them.”