After the New York Knicks opened their first round playoff series with three straight wins, momentum was heavily in their favor as they sat just one win away from their first playoff series win in over a decade.

But the momentum began to shift in a Game 4 loss for the Knicks in Boston and continued that way as the series shifted back to New York for Game 5 on Wednesday night. Once again the Knicks could not close the series and a 92-86 Celtics win sent the series back to Boston again for Game 6 on Friday night.


Though some Knicks have limited postseason experience, J-Kidd and K-Mart have enough to know not to panic (Getty Images).

But there’s at least one Knick who has seen this story unfold time and time again and Jason Kidd isn’t worried.

As a seasoned playoff veteran, Jason is all too familiar with momentum swinging series’. In the 2011 playoffs as a member of the Mavericks, J-Kidd helped his Dallas team take a 2-0 lead over the Portland Trailblazers in the first round. The series quickly took a turn for the worse, but the resilient bunch, led by Jason himself, not only were able to save the series, but also went on to win a championship.

That same type of poise will be essential for the Knicks, who again find added pressure on their shoulders. Jason served as the voice of reason late Wednesday night as the Knicks packed to head back north for a pivotal Game 6 on Boston’s home floor.

“No need to panic,” J-Kidd said assuredly. “We’re still up 3-2. We just have to win a game.”

For a while, it looked as though that could happen on Wednesday night.

New York opened Game 5 on a 9-0 run and looked primed to end the series and move on. But after an early timeout from Boston coach Doc Rivers, the Celtics were able to establish their game plan in game five, severely hindering New York’s up-tempo style.

The slow pace of the game not only favored Boston’s offense, but also curtailed the Knicks offensive prowess. The Knicks simply weren’t hitting shots they were accustomed to. By the end of the first Boston had cut New York’s lead to just two and midway through the second quarter the Celtics took the lead for good.

“The tempo of the game was definitively in their favor and they got a big win,” Kidd said. “The pace was slow and that put a lot of pressure on our offense and we weren’t knocking down the shots there late.”

Having been through a similar situation, Kidd knows that he and the rest of the team must remain calm, and regain their focus.

Playing a game six in Boston is no easy task, but the Knicks know what it takes to beat the Celtics on the road, having just done so last Friday. But J-Kidd made sure to note that the Knicks can’t discredit what the Celtics were able to do at Madison Square Garden in Game 5 and what Boston is capable of. They must take the Celtics seriously to have any chance to close the series.

“It’s a lesson learned,” Jason said. “We have to look at the tape and see what we can get better at. You have to give them credit; they found a way to win on our home court. Now we have to find a way to win on Friday in Boston.”

Tip off of Game 6 is set for 7 p.m. EST and the game can be seen nationally on ESPN.

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