In another time, another spring, the duel would have been tantalizing, electric and potentially epic: Carmelo Anthony versus Paul Pierce, for control of the Eastern Conference. The names alone inspire visions of a classic playoff scoring battle.
In another era, it might have been. In this one, the duel has become an unfair fight, between a still-rising superstar and his superior supporting cast and a fading likely Hall of Famer, who has hardly any support at all.
Anthony dominated the court again Tuesday night, overpowering Pierce and anyone else in his path, leading the Knicks to an 87-71 rout and a commanding 2-0 lead in this first-round series.
Through two games, the Knicks have been sturdier defensively and simply better in the second half, but most of all they have Anthony, who has been brilliant in the critical moments. He scored 34 points Tuesday and might have gone for 40 had the Knicks needed it. He was at his best in the second half, making 8 of 13 shots from the field as the Knicks turned a close game into a stunning rout, outscoring the Celtics, 45-23, over the final 24 minutes.
"I'm playing," Anthony said with a verbal shrug. "I'm just playing basketball, trying to take advantage of what they've been throwing at me."
The Celtics, playing without Rajon Rondo, have never appeared more rudderless, failing to hit the 80-point mark in both games. A younger Pierce would have simply assumed a greater load, but he no longer seems capable and finished with a relatively muted 18 points Tuesday night. Over two games, Anthony has outscored his rival Pierce, 70-39.
The Knicks are halfway to winning their first playoff series since 2000. The series moves to Boston for the next two games, and a surely emotional scene at TD Garden. Game 3 on Friday will be the Celtics' first at home since the Boston Marathon bombings.
"We want to win for the city," Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said.
The Celtics, energized by their bench, led by 9 points in the first half and seemed poised to steal a game, or at least make things interesting. For a moment, the Garden became a little quieter.
But the Knicks blasted the Celtics with a 13-2 run to open the second half, and they never let up, winning the third quarter by 32-11.
"We just been locking down," Anthony said.
Kevin Garnett and Jeff Green both picked up their fourth fouls in the period, handcuffing the Celtics' offense and leaving Pierce as a solo act. Garnett played just 24 minutes, finishing with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 5 fouls.
Rivers, risking a fine from the league, called the fouls on Garnett "horrendous," adding, "I thought they had a huge effect on us."
Rondo's absence has, too, and the Knicks have been all too happy to crank up the defensive pressure and watch the point-guard-less Celtics wilt.
"They're kind of a little fuzzy up top on who they want to get it to and why," J. R. Smith said. "We're doing a great job of pressuring them, making sure they don't have enough time to think about that."
The Knicks got contributions from everyone in their third-quarter romp, with Iman Shumpert hitting two 3-pointers to start the festivities, Anthony scoring 13 points and Tyson Chandler making his first tangible impact on the series.
Chandler, who had been limited by a neck injury, looked closer to normal as he powered through a Pierce foul for a layup and 3-point play, then followed up with a resounding block of Avery Bradley at the other end.
Smith, the newly crowned sixth man of the year, celebrated his title with an efficient 19-point performance, and a booming pregame ovation when he received his trophy.
"Like an out-of-body feeling," Smith said of the crowd's response. "I never really thought I would get a standing ovation at the Garden the way I did. It was great."
That was a mere warm-up.
Smith sank his first four shots — each more difficult than the one before it — and hit a 36-foot buzzer-beater to close the first quarter, completing an 11-0 Knicks run.
The Celtics answered with their own 11-0 run, as their bench finally came alive. Jason Terry, who was 0 for 5 in Game 1, hit three 3-pointers in the first half, and Boston surged to a 46-37 lead, which proved to be their high point.
Anthony made just 3 of 11 shots against the Celtics' swarming defense in the half, but he found some room and his rhythm after halftime.
"He figures it out," Coach Mike Woodson said. "The great ones do that."
REBOUNDS
Amar'e Stoudemire sounded upbeat about his recovery from knee surgery and said he would return "sooner than later," although he could not say when. Stoudemire was given a six-week timetable after having debridement surgery on his right knee on March 11. That would have placed his return sometime this week, but Stoudemire has yet to resume on-court workouts. It took Stoudemire more than eight weeks to return from a similar surgery on his left knee earlier in the season. "Hopefully it heals sooner than eight weeks," he said. "If not, I just have to be patient." ... Pablo Prigioni, his right ankle sound again, returned to the starting lineup after missing Game 1. ... Three NBA TV analysts, including Isiah Thomas, chose Mike Woodson as their coach of the year candidate, in an informal poll by the network. Woodson was unmoved. "That's nice," he said, adding, "I'm not in this for coach of the year. I'm in it to try to see if we can get this team to the championship round, to try to win a title." Woodson turned stone-faced when asked if he and Thomas — the controversial former Knicks executive and head coach — have spoken recently. "Isiah and I are friends," he said. "We talk all the time, absolutely."
Nate Taylor contributed reporting.
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