*Since the All-Star break, the Knicks are 12-2 (.857) at home with a +11.4 point differential per game.
–They are 1 of only 5 NBA teams that had a winning percentage of at least .850 at home since the All-Star break (Nuggets, Heat, Lakers and Grizzlies).
–They are 1 of only 3 NBA teams that had a point differential of at least 11 points per game at home since the All-Star break (Thunder and Nuggets).
*Since Avery Bradley played his first game of the season (January 2), the Celtics have the league’s best defense against the 3-pointer (32.4 percent).
–In addition, the Celtics have the 3rd-best defense overall (43.3 percent) in that span.
*In games since Rajon Rondo tore his ACL (January 25), the Celtics own the league’s 5th-best 3-point percentage (38.2).
–The Knicks are 11th at 36.9 percent in that span.
*The Celtics this season own a 43.8 field-goal percentage on midrange shots, the best in the NBA.
–2nd-best: Spurs (42.3%).
–The Celtics’ 2,195 midrange shots attempted were the 5th-highest among all teams in 2012-13.
*Coming into Saturday, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have started a combined 255 playoff games while the players in the projected Knicks starting lineup (Raymond Felton, Iman Shumpert, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Copeland and Tyson Chandler) have played in just 122 postseason contests overall.
*Pierce and Garnett each started the first 54 games this season, but then sat out a combined 17 games over the last couple of months.
–When Garnett is on the bench, Boston is 9 points worse per 100 defensive possessions compared to when he plays.
–In addition, the Celtics are more than 5 points worse per 100 offensive possessions when Pierce is sitting.
*Since 1973-74, the Knicks’ regular-season turnover percentage of 11.7 is the 17th-best by any team for a single season (via http://bkref.com/tiny/CfeUx).
*The Knicks have allowed opponents to shoot 62 percent from 5 feet and closer this season, which is 5th-worth in NBA.
*The Knicks are 5.2 points worse per 100 possessions without Pablo Prigioni (sprained ankle) on the floor in 2012-13.
–Specifically, the Knicks are 4.6 points worse per 100 defensive possessions without Prigioni on the court this season.
*Carmelo Anthony became just the 2nd winner of the scoring title in franchise history as he made a career-best 2.3 shots from 3-point distance per game this season.
–The Celtics have held Anthony to just 35 percent shooting in 4 games this season, his worst against any Eastern Conference opponent.
*Tyson Chandler missed the last 6 games of the season as well as 16 of the team’s final 20 contests.
–Tyson Chandler’s career playoff offensive rebounding percentage of 13.22 is the 3rd-best in NBA playoff history (1st: Moses Malone 15.05 … 2nd: Dennis Rodman 15.01).
*Kenyon Martin, who is no spring chicken, will also need to find his rhythm after playing just 18 minutes in New York’s last 8 games of 2012-13.
*Jordan Crawford scored at least 15 points in each of his final 3 games of the regular season.
–That was the first stretch of back-to-back 15-point games for Crawford as a Celtic.
–The Celtics are a much stronger offensive scoring team when Crawford is on the floor. They are more than 4 points better per 100 offensive possessions with him out there.
*The Knicks have made 10.9 shots from 3-point distance per game and have attempted 28.9 per game, both the most in a single season in NBA history.
–891 made 3-pointers and 2,371 attempted 3-pointers are also single-season records.
–The 2012-13 Rockets are 2nd in all 4 of those categories. I guess we will call this the season of the 3-pointer.
*The 3-pointer is also important for the Celtics.
–They are 9-1 this season when making double-digit 3-pointers this season (4-0 when making more than 10).
–They are 8-2 this season in games in which they shoot at least 50 percent on 3-pointers.
*Recent Meetings: Celtics vs. Knicks
–The Celtics have won at least one playoff series each of the previous five postseasons while the Knicks have not won a playoff series since 2000. The 1999-2000 season was also the last time that New York won at least 50 games.
*Milestone Watch:
–Celtics History: All-Time Regular Season and Playoff Wins–
1. Red Auerbach 885
2. Tommy Heinsohn 474
3. Doc Rivers 473 (Rivers needs 1 to tie Heinsohn for 2nd place)
–All-Time Playoff Defensive Rebounds–
11. Patrick Ewing 1098
12. Kevin Garnett 1084 (Garnett needs 14 to tie Ewing for 11th place)
13. Charles Barkley 1072
–All-Time Playoff Free Throw Percentage–
2. Calvin Murphy .932
3. Brandon Bass .921
4. Bill Sharman .911
–All-Time Playoff Defensive Rebounding Percentage–
5. Ben Wallace 26.36
6. Kevin Garnett 26.23
7. Dennis Rodman 26.20
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