While I do agree with J.R. Smith's assessment of "if I played Game 4, the series would be over", I don't agree with all the talk and grandstanding he and his teammates were doing before Game 5.The New York Knicks talked about going to a "funeral" and ending the Boston Celtics' season. The team even dressed in all-black outfits to signify the moment.
Instead, the Celtics showed pride and told the Knicks that they weren't dead yet. Maybe the Celtics should show up wearing Freddie Kruger sweaters and hats before Game 6. The Knicks regret that little stunt and are now focused on knocking the Celtics out in Game 6.
“We was going to a funeral,” Smith told the Boston Herald. “But it looks like we got buried.”
Smith owned up to being a key part in this whole deal by mouthing off about Jason Terry before Game 5. But the ringmaster of this funeral stunt, Kenyon Martin, didn't want to talk about it.
“I'm not talking about that,” Martin said. “If you want to talk about basketball, we'll talk about basketball.”
I guess I wouldn't talk either if I only chipped in a bucket and five fouls. The Celtics haven't been horrible, they've just killed themselves in one quarter of each of the first three games. The Knicks should've known that the Celtics wouldn't just roll over for them. This team has a lot of pride and veterans that have been through the playoff battles.
Now we'll have to see if the Knicks can bounce back in Game 6 or risk having the Celtics do what the Boston Red Sox did to the New York Yankees in 2004.
