Celtics dream of defending their title shatters! Knicks hardcore basketball ends the Celtics fantasy

Amid the cheers of the tsunami of Madison Square Garden, the Celtics' journey to defend their title came to an abrupt end. The result of losing to the Knicks 2-4 allowed last season's champion to start offseason mode ahead of schedule.

Although G5's Jedi counterattack once rekindled hope for North Shore Garden, when the series suffered a shocking 20-point comeback twice, and when the team's ace Tatum was reimbursed due to an Achilles tendon injury, the ending was already destined. The sudden collapse of G6 is just to put the final seal on this regret-filled season.

Looking at the NBA in recent years, the defending curse has always been lingering: since 2019, no Raptors, Lakers, Bucks, Warriors, and Nuggets have escaped the championship curse. When the Celtics reached the top last year, experts predicted with confidence that this super team with balanced offense and defense is the most promising to break the curse and even start the dynasty mode.

This confidence is not without reason: a record average of 17.8 three-pointers, the league's top unlimited defense replacement system, the championship team retained by $500 million, and the targeted reinforcement of Posses + Holiday - on paper, this Celtics can be regarded as a perfect answer.

But the cruel reality of the playoffs gave idealism a heavy blow. The Celtics, who showed fatigue in the first round against the Magic, always superstitious that the "automatic" mode can take them back to their peak. It was not until the semi-finals that I encountered the "steel torrent" of New York that I realized that the times had changed quietly. The first two games in the series are textbook-level negative cases: holding a 20-point advantage but being addicted to three-point shots, allowing Tatum to fight with the opponent's center to consume. Mazula's tactical board seemed to have been cast with a "copy and paste" curse, which not only ruined the good game, but also lost the career of the core players.

This team, once regarded as a benchmark for team building, is facing unprecedented doubts. When the Knicks used the "retro basketball" to tear the magic ball theory with averaging 42.3 breakthroughs and 56.8 physical confrontations, the NBA's tactical vane seemed to be pulling back - Thibodeau's "sweatshop" proved in the most primitive way: in the muscle jungle of the playoffs, toughness is the eternal pass code.

The Bostonians at this moment may finally understand: when other teams are evolving, the pride that stays on the credit book will eventually become the most dazzling footnote on the elimination notice. And the deafening "We want Celtics" shout in Madison Gardens is the best satirical and annotation to this era.