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Celtics and Knicks square off in Game 1

Apr 17, 2011 - 2:39 PM (Sports Network) - One of the NBA's storied rivalries will be renewed tonight when the Boston Celtics square off with the revitalized New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at TD Garden.

The Knicks have reached the postseason for the first time in seven years, while Boston enjoyed its fourth straight 50-win season and fourth consecutive Atlantic Division crown.

For the Celtics, however, it's all about the NBA championship, something the franchise has captured a record 17 times, the last of which came in the 2007-08 season, the first year Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen came to Beantown.

Early this season the Celtics had the look of a legitimate title threat but the team struggled down the stretch. You can trace the unevenness to the shakeup at the trade deadline when basketball chief Danny Ainge felt the need to remake his team with just seven weeks to go before the postseason, dealing popular center Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City.

The Celtics were 41-15 at the time of the deal and just 15-11 after. Ainge's moves will be debated in Boston for a very long time unless the C's are able to flick the switch, turn it around and win their second title in four years.

The Celtics embark on that goal by facing a Knicks team shaped by the sign- and-trade deal that brought Amare Stoudemire from Phoenix in the offseason, and the blockbuster at the trade deadline that saw Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups arrive from Denver.

Early on, Anthony's arrival seemed to disrupt a growing team but his talents kicked in and New York won seven straight to earn the sixth seed before shutting things down.

'Melo earned back-to-back Player of the Week honors during that stretch and brings the type of offensive talent to Gotham that hasn't been seen since Anthony's boyhood hero, Bernard King, was lighting up Madison Square Garden.

Overall, however, the Knicks were 28-26 before getting Anthony and 14-14 after.

"It was risky for both of us," Boston coach Doc Rivers said Saturday when asked about the trades. "Both teams, when they first made the trade, started winning right away and then started losing right after that. It happens all the time."

The Celtics have dominated the Knicks in recent years, winning 16 of 18 versus New York, including a four-game sweep this season that included a 112-102 win in the regular season finale for both clubs on Wednesday.

That served as more an exhibition game, however, with neither team wanting to give away too much before the start of the playoffs. New York did receive some good news in the contest as Stoudemire was able to return from an ankle injury and played for the first time in four games, totaling 14 points in a little over 20 minutes of action.

Boston will be without veteran center Shaquille O'Neal for Game 1. O'Neal appeared in only 37 games this season, missing all but five minutes of the last 34 regular season games with Achilles and calf injuries. There was hope Shaq would be ready to go for the postseason but he was unable to complete a mock pregame workout on Saturday and was ruled out.

"He's not ready," Ainge said. "We don't know when he's going to be ready."

In the playoffs, this rivalry dates all the way back to 1950-51 when New York swept Boston in a three-game Eastern semifinals set. The Knicks also won a five-game set the last time the two hooked up in the postseason, 1989-90. Overall the clubs have met 13 times, with the Celtics taking seven of the series.

"This is what the guys have been preparing for all year," Rivers said of the upcoming set.

Game 2 of the series is set for Tuesday, also in Boston.