Knicks vs Celtics, the most intense rivalry in the East: who dominates in Playoffs in the Atlantic Division?

Second seed Boston Celtics face New York Knicks (3) in the semifinals of the Eastern Conference this season and a packed TD Garden will be keen to see the home side maintain their winning run over their rivals from the Big Apple on Monday night for the first game in a best of seven series.

The Knicks lost each of their four regular-season games against the Celtics with Jayson Tatum averaging 33.5 points on 53.5 percent shooting in the four regular-season games as Boston averaged 125 points per game against third-seeded New York.

The Knicks progressed by edging out Detroit in the first round with Boston needing five games to beat Orlando in the first stage. Jrue Holiday missed the final three games of that series with a hamstring strain, but did participate in practice over the weekend and is poised for a return on Monday.

Knicks-Celtics, the best of enemies

This is the first time the Celtics and Knicks have met in a playoff series since 2013 with the men in green the reigning NBA champions and looking to reach the Eastern Conference finals for the fourth consecutive season despite losing the 2013 series 4-2.

The Knicks haven’t been to the conference finals since 2000 and indeed trail the team from Massachusetts in playoff clashes.

The Knicks and the Celtics have played 67 games in the playoffs with 31 victories for the Knicks and 36 for the Celtics.

The teams have only met twice this century in the playoffs, with the Knicks winning out in the aforementioned 2013 first round match-up and Boston prevailing in 2011 at the same stage.

The last semi-final meeting between the teams was in 1984 and seven games were needed to determine a winner with the Celtics advancing.

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