Many of the New York Knicks spent the days leading up to Saturday’s opening game of their playoff series with the Boston Celtics telling the media that the veterans on the team, particularly Jason Kidd, would be a key to success.

On Saturday afternoon with the game on the line, J-Kidd made them look prophetic.


Jason Kidd played 35 minutes and had three key steals down the stretch in New York’s Game 1 win (Getty Images).

J-Kidd recorded three steals in the final five minutes of Game 1 and the Knicks dominated the Celtics with overwhelming defensive effort in the second half on the way to an 85-78 victory.

“He created havoc,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said of J-Kidd. “I don’t know if I can beat Jason in a sprint, but I think I can give him a go. Yet he got steals, no one could go by him. He’s so smart…. He had two steals that guys 10 times quicker than him would have never got, but he sees it before it happens and he reacts. He’s beating people with his mind right now. He beat us today, for sure.”

With Jason’s help, New York limited Boston to just 7-of-27 (25.9 percent) from the field in the second half and 1-of-10 from deep. The effort was even better in the fourth, when the Knicks limited Boston to just eight points on 3-of-11 and 0-for-5. Those stops were crucial as the Knicks struggled to find an offensive rhythm.

“We played our best defense of the year in the second half,” Jason said. “We all have the belief and understanding championships are won playing defense. It wasn’t our best offensive night, but we stayed the course and got stops.”

Most critical was Jason’s play in the final minutes of the game. All three of his steals came in the final stretches of the fourth quarter, allowing the Knicks extra possessions and a comfortable lead.

The first was a deflection of a pass from Jeff Green to Courtney Lee, with the Knicks leading by four and just under five minutes left. No. 5 dove to the floor after breaking up the pass, grabbed the loose ball and flipped it to Carmelo Anthony.

“J-Kidd was spectacular,” Anthony said afterward. “For him to get that loose ball that was diving on the floor the way he did — that was, believe it or not, a key play for us. Plays like that, we expect J-Kidd to make those.”


Jason dives and grabs a loose ball after breaking up Jeff Green’s pass (NY Daily News photo).

“

[He has] a champion’s heart,” said teammate Tyson Chandler. “The play that he got his hands on the ball and then dove for it and came up with it was a key possession. That wins championships. You’ve got a guy, 40 years old, stripping the ball and diving on the floor. That’s key.”

The play led to a Knicks fast break, which ended with Raymond Felton getting to the line where he made 1-of-2 to put the Knicks up five. Paul Pierce knocked the lead back down to three on Boston’s next possession, but a Carmelo Anthony bucket brought the lead back to five with 2:32 to go.

Moments later, J-Kidd again forced Green into a turnover allowing the Knicks to drain clock and get the game to under two minutes remaining.

“Jason has been doing it all season,” Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. “Loose balls, strips, keeping the ball alive. He seems to be at the right place at the right time.”

New York couldn’t turn the second steal into points, but Jason grabbed the rebound after a miss by former teammate Jason Terry, which prohibited Boston from extending its possession and allowed the Knicks to continue their possession. On the other end, Anthony hit bottom with a 21-footer from the right wing that gave the Knicks a seven-point lead with 1:21 to go.

Jason helped seal the deal less than a minute later with a final theft when he knocked the ball out of Kevin Garnett’s hands with 32 seconds remaining.

“It’s just being lucky,” J-Kidd said modestly of his big plays down the stretch. “Understanding what’s at stake, and understanding who’s behind me, and I just got lucky. Being at the right place at the right time.”

It was Woodson who put Jason in that position for 35 of the 48 minutes the Knicks played. Only Anthony and Raymond Felton logged more minutes than the 40-year old veteran but he made the most of the time with a plethora of youthful passes, proving he is still a valuable asset to the Knicks.

In addition to his three steals, J-Kidd finished the game with eight points, five rebounds and three assists.

I felt great, had some rest. This is the time of the year that you enjoy, the playoffs,” he said. “It was a big game for both teams to get the series underway. I am going to play as many minutes and as hard as I can when I am out there. It doesn’t matter if it is 30 or 10 or 35. My job is to help the team win.”

Along with the fans, who started multiple “Jason Kidd” chants at Madison Square Garden, No. 5’s teammates noticed the lively approach to the game. Kenyon Martin, who finished the game with 10 points and nine rebounds, twice went to the NBA Finals with J-Kidd as a member of the Nets years back and knows that he hasn’t slowed down mentally.

“[It’s] smarts and just pure will,” Martin said. “ou’ve got to know where to be at all times, just knowing who you’re playing against, knowing your opponent. That’s what it’s all about. It’s not all about making shots and all that other stuff. It’s about knowing the game, and I think he knows the game better than anybody in the league.”


Jason’s teammates know his savvy can take them a long way in the postseason (Getty Images). 

Tyson Chandler, who also went to the Finals with Kidd and was a part of a championship team with him, was also able to bring an interesting perspective on how he and the Knicks hope his legacy lives on.

“His mind is brilliant. Hopefully we can freeze it, or something like that. Leave it for the next generation,” Chandler said. “I’ve had the opportunity to play alongside of him twice and he’s just unbelievable. As his body slows down, he thinks the game more. I obviously came in the league after MJ and that era. But he’s up there, a future Hall-of-Famer and one of the greats. We’re blessed to be able to witness something like that.”

NEXT UP
The Knicks will look to build off their Game 1 win when the two teams face off again on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden for Game 2.

Jason is hopeful that Knicks fans bring the same energy to the opening night game.

“The Garden, as an opponent, when it’s jumping like this, it’s tough to play in,” he said. “It’s probably been some time, but it’s good to see the city jumping and behind the team.”

Doc Rivers was effusive with his praise for J-Kidd after Game 1 and knows his team will have to be mindful of No. 5 at all times.

“He beats everybody with his brain. He really does. He beats them into the ground with his brain. I don’t know what that says, but he does it,” Rivers said. “He just thinks. He’s in the right place. It’s a great example that if you think quicker than a guy can move, you’re still quicker. That’s why he’s there first. Because he thought what the guy was going to do before the guy did it. He’s just a valuable player to have on a basketball team…. I use the [Bill] Belichick line all the time. People go to these draft combines and are all excited about what the guy ran in the 40, instead of looking at the film and seeing who got there first with their mind. That’s what Jason did.”

The Celtics, one of the more experienced playoff teams in the last decade know how important stealing one game on a rival’s floor is in a playoff series and will be looking to flip the mind game on New York and take Game 2. But Jason says the Knicks will be ready for a better effort from Boston.

“This is a veteran ballclub. We know we haven’t accomplished anything,” he said. “For us, Game 1 is over and we’ve got to find a way to protect home in Game 2 because the swing games have always been the biggest ones.”

Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m. EST and can be seen nationally on TNT.

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