New York -- Win or go home! Or, in the case of the Knicks, stay home.
The Knicks are coming into this Game 4 facing elimination and with the fresh wounds of a Game 3 drubbing at the hands of Rajon Rondo and the Boston Celtics. Rondo recorded his sixth postseason triple-double and had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 20 assists. Rondo set the Celtics record for assists in the postseason and is one of only seven players all time to record six triple-doubles in the postseason for their career.
Behind Rondo and Ray Allen's amazing shooting -- 75 percent from behind the arc for the series including eight threes in Game 3 -- the Celtics crushed the will of the Knicks early along with any hope the Knicks may have had of getting out of the first round.
The Knicks will come into Game 4 hoping to overcome the injury of Chauncey Billups, out for Game 4, and Amar'e Stoudemire who is listed as day-to-day. They will depend heavily on Carmelo Anthony to try and lead this team to victory even if Stoudemire is in the lineup.
The Knicks will need to play hard-nosed defense, try to slow Boston, penetrate and kick attacks by Rondo, while trying to get out in transition and score before the Celtics can recover. The Knicks will also look to aggressively attack Kevin Garnett and the rest of the Celtic's big men, hoping to get them in early foul trouble and opening up the paint for Stoudemire and Jared Jeffries.
There is much on the table in the way of hope for the Knicks, but they will not roll over and go quietly into the night. If anything, expect this game to get rough and physical before it's over, especially if the Knicks find themselves down big early.
If the Knicks can't beat them, they will at least try to send them home wounded for their second round matchup with the winner of Heat-Sixers.
So, the question is will the Knicks win and pack for Boston?. Chances are the Knicks will be packing suitcases tonight. It's just their vacation clothes that will be going inside.
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