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Scouting Report: Knicks Wrap Season Series with Boston

Tonight's Matchup: New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics

Where: Madison Square Garden

TV: MSG Network (7:30 pm)

Knicks Report (14-58)

The Knicks look to shake off Wednesday's 111-80 loss to the Clippers tonight against the division-rival Celtics. Cleanthony Early (18 points) returned to action after missing the previous five games with an ankle injury, and both he and Ricky Ledo (12) set new career highs for scoring.

But L.A. was simply too much for the shorthanded Knicks, who were without Tim Hardaway Jr. (wrist) and Alexey Shved (rib) in addition to Jose Calderon (Achilles) and Travis Wear (back). Langston Galloway suffered a sprained right hand in the game, but was able to return to score 11 points.

Celtics Report (31-40)

Despite being nine games under .500, Boston is hanging onto the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference thanks to strong depth and a collective hard-nosed attitude under second-year coach Brad Stevens. 

The Celtics' committment to defense (ranked 13th in the league) is embodied by Marcus Smart, the rookie guard out of Oklahoma State who has already established himself as one of the toughest perimeter stoppers in the NBA. His offensive game is still a work in progress, but the addition of Isaiah Thomas, who is averaging 19.8 points per game since arriving from Phoenix at the trade deadline, gives Stevens firepower off the bench.