What would J.R. do?
That is the big question tonight as the Celtics invade the Garden on Easter Sunday, one more big test for J.R. Smith’s Knicks before Tuesday’s South Beach showdown.
After the Heat’s 27-game streak ended Wednesday in Chicago, the Knicks are aiming to head to Miami on an eight-game roll, which would be the league’s longest winning streak.
A victory would give the Knicks (45-26) their first eight-game winning streak since 1994-95. They are 19 games above .500 for the first time since 2000.
If Smith’s historic bench rampage continues, the Knicks likely will have little trouble again with the undermanned Celtics. The Knicks and Celtics appear to be on a collision course for a 2-vs.-7 first-round playoff matchup.
“We’re really not thinking about Miami until we get out there on Monday,” Carmelo Anthony said. “Boston is next. They came here, stole one on our home court [in January]. We took one on their court and they’re going to be hungry for payback. Our goal is to protect our home court, and we plan on doing that.”
During the seven-game winning streak — the longest of coach Mike Woodson’s tenure — Smith has averaged 26.4 points on 53.4 percent shooting, taking 8.6 free-throw attempts per game. Smith has scored 30-plus points in three straight games, the first player since Ricky Pierce 23 years ago to accomplish such a feat coming off the bench.
“Last run I was on like this was in high school, and that was too easy,” Smith said. “Now, I’ve got a great cast. We have so many threats out there. It’s hard to honor each person every game. It just so happens it’s my turn.”
Smith, who talked of himself in All-Star terms in January, is the leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year and possibly Player of the Week.
If Smith brandishes his new inside-outside game Tuesday against the Heat, he may send a message to Miami regarding a potential May battle in the Eastern Conference finals.
Smith has taken the heat off Anthony and made Amar’e Stoudemire’s loss as a potential secondary scorer all but moot. The Knicks are 28-4 when Smith shoots at least 50 percent.
However, Smith has been awful against the Heat. He had a terrible playoff series last April — shooting 31.6 percent (24-of-76) — and has been as abysmal in the three Miami games this season, shooting 25 percent (11-of-44) and taking just seven total free throws.
But for the Smith seen during this winning streak, the stepback jumper is just a slice of the arsenal. “We’ve always had confidence with ‘Swish’ taking the court,” Jason Kidd said. “The thing we’re in tune to now is the growth of his game. He loves golf and we always talk golf, and he’s making his 10-foot putts.”
During the Knicks’ recent West Coast trip, Smith complained referees don’t give him calls when he attacks the basket, saying he had “a target on his back.’’
Before the winning streak, Smith averaged 3.2 free-throw attempts per game. Now he’s getting star calls.
“J. R. is playing so complete right now, and it’s nice to see because considering where he started when we first started this journey, he’s way ahead of the pace,” Woodson said.
With Smith pouring in 32 points, the Knicks beat the Celtics 100-85 points Tuesday in Boston — the first time they won twice in Boston during the regular season since 2003-04.
The Celtics’ last trip to the Garden, however, was one Anthony would like to forget. He got into an unfortunate trash-talking war with Kevin Garnett that spilled to near the Celtics bus and gave unprecedented publicity to Honey Nut Cheerios.
A lot has changed since that night. The Knicks are approaching their first Atlantic Division title since 1994, which would end the Celtics’ run of five consecutive division crowns. Garnett will not play tonight, resting up for the playoffs as he nurses ankle inflammation. Going into last night, the Knicks led the Nets by 3 1/2 games and the Celtics by 7 1/2.
“We’re back to where it was at the beginning of this season,’’ Kidd said. “Our defense and us moving the ball is déjà vu for how we started in November.”
The Knicks are averaging 103.4 points and giving up just 91.9 points during the seven-game streak. They have done it without injured center Tyson Chandler (bulging disk) and with Kenyon Martin and Pablo Prigioni in the starting lineup.
Beating Boston again would be a good segue into South Beach.
“We just played [the Celtics], so we know they want to try get a payback game,’’ Kidd said. “We have to protect home.’’
As for Miami’s busted streak, which fell six games short of the 1971-72 Lakers’ record run, Kidd said, “As a fan, it was fun to watch. I’m just glad it’s over. I know how big it would’ve been if we were going in there and both teams were on a streak.’’
Now it may just be the Knicks.