HOOPFEST He isn’t returning just to judge a slam-dunk contest. Ronny Turiaf is helping kids who are facing the same kind of heart ailments that he does MICHAEL BOWEN
He’s a multimillionaire who nearly died young. In the space of just five months back in 2005, Ronny Turiaf went from highs (completing his Gonzaga career and being se- lected in the NBA draft) to lows (being diagnosed with a heart defect and facing potentially career-ending surgery).

Now, after making a six-month, faster-than-expected recovery from his surgery to repair an enlarged aortic root, Turiaf is preparing to start his seventh NBA season. (He’s now with the Knicks, after stints with the Lakers and Warriors.)

And he’s making a three-day Hoopfest stop this weekend: unveiling a community court on Thursday, headlining a fundraising dinner on Friday night for his foundation, and judging a slam dunk contest on Saturday afternoon.

Six years ago, the news of Turiaf’s brush with mortality hit hard, not just because he was only 22 at the time, but because he was so fun-loving — the guy whose smile lifted your day whether or not you cared anything about basketball.

When I interviewed him in January 2002, back when he was a 19-year-old freshman with the Zags, he was a lot more concerned with festivities than mortality. He was going to live forever, man.
He’d already made the shift from his home in Martinique to a colder climate in Paris for his high school years, but nothing like snowbound Spokane
“I already seen [snow] in France, but little, it wasn’t big like this,” he said. He’d done his first snow angel, “all by myself, it was my first time here. You lay down on the snow and shish, shish, shish” [waving motion].”
His fun-loving personality blended into his style of play: “On the court, I know I make some crazy play, ’cause I’m so inn-air-jick [energetic], so … [gesticulates, laughs] I’m like a badger on the court. I just want to give my best, so could be happy to my teammates.”

And his face brightened into a big smile when he recalled the “festivities” during carnival time in Antigua: “You have to go, that’s like weird gyrating and embracing [raises arms joyfully, demonstrates a hip-wiggle]. WHOOO! [laughs]. That’s big-time.”

But Ronny Turiaf is older now. Wiser. In addi- tion to his NBA career — the workouts, the travel, all the publicity demands — he has a foundation to run. The Ronny Turiaf Heart-to-Heart Foundation (ron- nyturiaf21.org) funds prevention, detection and treat- ment for kids with life-threatening heart conditions.

At 19, Ronny was a party boy, running through a birthday-spanks gauntlet formed by his Zag team- mates at practice one day. Now he’s giving back, helping with the financial and logistical needs of kids with heart ailments.

When he was 22, Turiaf himself was like one of those kids. He’s still a kid at heart, which is why Hoopfest — and all of Spokane — is looking forward to having him back.

Ronny Turiaf’s Hoopfest appearances • Community Court Unveiling • Thurs, June 23, from 3:30- 4:30 pm • Fri, June 24, from 7-9:30 pm • Heart-to- Heart Foundation fundraising dinner with Cedric the Entertainer • $100 • Lincoln Center • 1316 N. Lincoln St. • ronnyturiaf21.org • 327-8000 • Slam- Dunk Contest judging • Sat, June 25, from 1-2 pm and 2-3:30 pm • Nike Center Court, Riverfront Park • spokanehoopfest.net • Hoopfest Saturday Night • Sat, June 25, at 9 pm • $10 – $15 • 21+ • The Lincoln Center • (800) 325-SEAT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Spokane, WA – June 22, 2011

Contact:
Kirstin Davis, Marketing Manager – 509.991-3213

HOOPFEST AND RONNY TURIAF UNVEIL COMMUNITY COURT AT CORBIN PARK

WHAT: Community Court Unveiling and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

WHO: Spokane Hoopfest Association and Ronny Turiaf – New York Knicks and former Gonzaga University Player

WHEN: Friday, June 24 at 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: Corbin Park – 2914 NW Oval St.

SPOKANE, WA (June 22, 2011) – The Spokane Hoopfest Association, Ronny Turiaf, and the Heart to Heart Foundation have partnered to revitalize the basketball court at Corbin Park in north central Spokane. The renovation includes a new NBA sized basketball court, consisting of a new playing surface, poles, backboards, rims and player benches. This will mark the first court renovation by the Heart to Heart Foundation and the 27th community court project for the Spokane Hoopfest Association.

The unveiling activities will include:

• Remarks by Rick Steltenpohl – Executive Director of the Spokane Hoopfest Association
• Remarks by Tony Madunich – Spokane Parks Department Operations Manager
• Remarks by Jill Ives – Special Olympics Washington East Region
• Remarks by Ronny Turiaf – New York Knicks and former Gonzaga University Player & Heart to Heart Foundation
• Ribbon cutting and photo opportunity with Special Olympics athletes
• Ronny Turiaf conducts ceremonial tip-off for Special Olympic game

Cause Celeb highlights a celebrity’s work on behalf of a specific cause. This week, we speak with NBA player Ronny Turiaf, a center with the New York Knicks. Turiaf is the founder of the Ronny Turiaf Heart to Heart Foundation. He was inspired to start the foundation after he was diagnosed with an enlarged aortic root in his heart in 2005. After a successful surgery, Turiaf returned to the basketball court, and has used his celebrity to promote his cause.

Turiaf’s foundation raises money to provide medical services like heart surgeries and defibrillators to children in need. The foundation recently set up free heart screenings and ran a basketball clinic for high school students in the Bronx. For any information on the Ronny Turiaf Heart to Heart Foundation, you can visit RonnyTuriaf21.org.

Interviewed by Ezra Dreiblatt

Q: What inspired you to create the heart to heart foundation?

Turiaf: It is a desire that started with my mom. My mom has always been a woman that gave back to others. and I think I picked up on that trait. I made a promise to myself that once I became emotionally and financially able [to] provide for others, I would definitely make sure I did it. It was a long process. It took me going to the Golden State Warriors, signing as a free agent, and then having people from this organization believing in what I was doing and buying in to my vision to help people. Unfortunately, it took an unfortunate event to guide me in the direction I am in today.

Q: You found out shortly after being drafted to the NBA, that you yourself had a heart problem, on top of that, you did not have health insurance. Did that drive you to create this foundation to help other people in your situation?

Turiaf: Not only that. I want to thank the Los Angeles Lakers organization and especially Dr. Buss (Lakers owner) for paying for my heart surgery. If the Los Angeles Lakers and Dr. Buss weren’t there for me, I wouldn’t be here today talking to you about my heart surgery and how it went great. I could have been prevented from playing basketball, and would not have had the tools necessary to start the foundation. I just want to make clear that I am thankful to the Lakers and to Dr. Buss.

After that, it definitely drove me to have a vision to give back to others who have had heart surgeries. More specifically, it took me reading about local high school kids that passed away from heart ailments all across the world, and I realized I needed to do something. It led me to try to donate defibrillators, and found a program to teach people how to use defibrillators.

So whenever there is an incident, we can have defibrillators on site to help keep the heart beat going before the EMT and the ambulance come. It was all those incidents that drove me to the direction I am in right now.

Q: You recently ran a heart screening program in the Bronx for high school kids, what did you do with them, and what were you hoping to accomplish?

Turiaf: What we are trying to accomplish is to provide heart screenings to high school kids that may not have ever had the chance to afford heart screenings. By doing that, you definitely give yourself a chance to not have any unfortunate surprises. Whenever we have to follow up, we have one of the best doctors, Dr. Martin Goldman, to follow up with. He has the people around him that will do the follow up with the family, and deal with a situation that could have been dramatic.

It was a really fun event for me because it allowed me to get close to the kids, and tell them about my experience. Also, having John Starks (former New York Knicks player) there made it fun for the kids. So for the kids, it was a fun, but also serious moment. Without the Knicks organization, without the Garden of dreams, without the Heart to Heart foundation, without the dedicated team of people behind me, it would not be possible.

Q: If there was one thing you want people to get out of all your experiences and your charity work, what would it be?

Turiaf: The only thing I would say is that first and foremost, I wish I didn’t have to do it, and I wish that none of those tragic, sad, and unfortunate events would have happened. The one thing I want people to know is I will not stop trying to raise awareness about this topic. One person every 37 seconds die from heart complications. Three-hundred-thousand people died every year from heart related issues.

After that, if people want to jump on board and help me, and help the Heart to Heart Association, and help the American Society of Echocardiography, they know where to find me. They can go to my website ronnyturiaf21.org, and we get back to them with the next 24 to 48 hours. The more people we can have on board, the better it is for everybody

For the online article please click here.

Used Courtesy of NBC News

NEW YORK (AP) The Celtics looked beatable in Boston, and the Knicks thought they could finish the job at home.

Instead, the Celtics quickly finished off the Knicks.

Kevin Garnett had 26 points and 10 rebounds, Rajon Rondo added 21 points and 12 assists, and Boston swept its way into the Eastern Conference semifinals, holding on for a 101-89 victory over New York on Sunday.

Ray Allen and reserve Glen Davis each added 14 points for the Celtics, the first team into the second round after sweeping a series for the first time since a 3-0 victory over Indiana in 1992, the last series victory for their old Big Three before Larry Bird retired.

It didn’t appear that drought would end when the Celtics needed late shots by Allen and Garnett to win the first two games. But they elevated their play in the first postseason games at Madison Square Garden in seven years, winning both by double digits.

“I think we just really settled into a good rhythm once we got on the road,” Paul Pierce said. “I think sometimes the road can kind of bring you together.”

The Celtics had a 23-point lead cut to four in the fourth quarter, but pulled away again behind Garnett, who scored 20 after halftime.

The current Big Three of Garnett, Allen and Pierce twice was extended to seven games in the first round, but this one was far easier than expected against the injury-weakened Knicks. The Celtics now could have a week off while they wait for likely opponent Miami, which was forced to a fifth game earlier Sunday after a late rally by Philadelphia.

The Celtics almost faced the same scenario, but a Knicks comeback attempt stalled in the final minutes before they were saluted by their orange-clad crowd after delivering the best season in New York in a decade.

“Everybody understood what was at stake. Give a team some confidence, even in a 3-0 series to win a game, you never know what can happen,” Pierce said. “So it was just very important for us to withstand the run. They made a great run and the crowd really got behind them, but in the fourth quarter we just really settled down in the last six or seven minutes, executed the offense and were able to put the game out of reach.”

Carmelo Anthony had 32 points and nine rebounds, and Amare Stoudemire, who decided to play after his back felt better, finished with 19 points and 12 boards but shot only 5 of 20 from the field.

“It was all heart. He just gave it all. With him and Carmelo going forward, the Knicks are in good shape,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said.

The Knicks shot 34 percent and were quickly dispatched in their first playoff appearance since 2004, when they were also swept in the first round. They haven’t won a playoff game in 10 years.

“Tonight was one of those games that we have to leave it all out on the court. Wasn’t no need to take anything home with us, and we did that,” Anthony said. “So I’m pretty sure that we gained a lot of respect from a lot of people right now, but this is the first step of something great.”

The Celtics were only 10-11 in their last 21 games of the regular season, struggling to adjust to a changed lineup after trading center Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City at the deadline and renewing questions they were too old.

The Knicks believed they could challenge them, but Chauncey Billups was lost for good after straining his left knee in the final minute of Game 1 and Stoudemire was never the same after hurting his back during warmups before Game 2.

Meanwhile, the Celtics got better as the series went along, pulling out two close victories in Boston and saving their best for Madison Square Garden, surrounded in orange as it was finally open for postseason basketball again.

But that couldn’t shake the Celtics, who held the Knicks to three field goals in the second quarter to seize control.

Garnett made three straight field goals to make it 70-48 in the third quarter before the Celtics let the Knicks back into it. Consecutive run-out dunks by Anthony cut it to 14, and New York had it all the way down to 10 when Shawne Williams’ 3-pointer with 36 seconds remaining trimmed it to 82-72 after three.

Stoudemire opened the fourth with a basket and Anthony followed, bringing it within six and forcing coach Doc Rivers to put Garnett back into the game. He made a pair of free throws, but baskets by Stoudemire and Anthony Carter made it 84-80 with 7:34 to go.

“I thought we dropped the guard a little bit,” Rivers said. “Give them credit, I thought they played desperate and you could see it in their play and their defensive energy.”

But Boston would never let it get closer and finally put it away when consecutive jumpers by Rondo and Garnett extended it to 95-85 with 4:22 to play.

Disappointed in their effort in a blowout loss Friday, the Knicks showed plenty of fight. Anthony knocked Rondo down for a flagrant foul and Stoudemire was called for a technical after he shoved Delonte West in the back following the Boston guard’s hard foul on Knicks rookie Landry Fields.

But New York, which went 42-40 to end a franchise-worst streak of nine straight losing seasons, simply didn’t have enough to match Boston, which got 13 points from Pierce.

Stoudemire made only one field goal in the first half as Boston led 55-38.

Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

NEW YORK (AP) Ray Allen noticed the sea of orange surrounding the court, not that it affected his shot.

In fact, the only competition in this one was between Allen and Paul Pierce.

Pierce scored 38 points, Allen added 32, and Rajon Rondo had a Celtics playoff-record 20 assists as Boston beat the New York Knicks 113-96 on Friday night to take a 3-0 in their first-round playoff series.

Rondo had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics, who pulled out two close games in Boston but never trailed in this one, dominating the first playoff game at Madison Square Garden in seven years. They will go for the sweep Sunday afternoon, and no NBA team has ever lost a series after winning the first three games.

“We’re in New York. It’s playoffs. Their first game at home, we’ve got to be excited. Hostile environment,” Celtics forward Kevin Garnett said. “We’re a lot more locked in than usual.”

Allen and Pierce certainly were, combining to go 14 of 19 from 3-point range with much-higher stakes than when they dueled in the 3-point contest during All-Star weekend.

“After a while, I started feeding off of Ray. I mean he was making every shot and was putting pressure on me to make shots. I couldn’t let him down,” Pierce said. “I was looking at him saying how much on fire he was, but then everybody was saying I’m on fire. It was good to be a part of that.”

After winning the two games in Boston despite trailing in the final half-minute of both, the Celtics scored the first nine points of this one and never really let it get much closer.

“You come out and you hit them first. You don’t give the crowd a reason to get involved. That was big, when we came out with that run to start the game. We were comfortable from there on out,” Pierce said.

Carmelo Anthony had 15 points and 11 rebounds but shot 4 for 16 for the Knicks, who were booed as they walked off the court trailing by 23 points after three quarters.

“You can’t give them that big an opening that they can smell blood,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said.

Exactly 10 years to the day since their last home playoff victory, the Knicks were outclassed in the same way they have been so many times in their forgettable decade since.

With Chauncey Billups sidelined again with a knee injury, Amare Stoudemire limited by his back spasms and Anthony unable to duplicate his 42-point performance from Game 2, the Knicks lacked the firepower to match the defending Eastern Conference champions.

“It’s tough knowing that Amare’s not 100 percent, Chauncey’s not 100 percent and we’re just trying to find our way on the fly right now,” Anthony said. “That’s a tough situation but I think that would be making excuses if I sit here and say that they beat us because we’re not at full strength. We’ve still got guys that have to go out there and play … so I don’t want to use that as an excuse.”

Stoudemire was just 2 for 8 for seven points, admitting he was trying to avoid contact on drives to the basket. He said he wasn’t fully healthy and knows he won’t be Sunday, either.

“I felt good enough to play but I wasn’t 100 percent,” he said. “I just wanted to show some courage out there for the fans of New York. They deserved it and my teammates, also.”

Allen, who made the go-ahead 3-pointer in the Celtics’ 87-85 victory in Game 1, was 8 for 11 from behind the arc and is a sizzling 15 for 20 in the series. Pierce was 6 of 8 from 3-point range as Rondo continuously set up his two All-Star wing players for open shots.

Rivers compared his point guard, who shared the previous Celtics record for playoff assists (19) with Hall of Famer Bob Cousy, to a catcher calling a perfect game. But Rondo, whose sixth postseason triple-double is four behind Larry Bird’s team record, gave credit to the screeners who were freeing up so much space for Allen and Pierce.

“I would say our bigs are getting Ray and Paul open,” Rondo said. “Ray and Paul made them pay.”

A sellout crowd filled with celebrities and fans starving to see postseason success could do nothing but admire the execution of the Celtics in an impressive performance after believing they played poorly in the first two games. They matched the 3-0 lead Miami has over Philadelphia, moving closer to an expected second-round showdown.

Many fans wore orange shirts or waved orange towels. But the Celtics, who came within one win of an NBA title last season despite having home-court advantage in only one round, shook off the sounds as easily as they swatted away the Knicks.

“For us, you know you’re in a hostile environment and we’ve been here before in this situation,” Allen said.

Stoudemire, who missed the second half of Tuesday’s game, won the opening tip but struggled early. He overshot the basket on his first attempt, missed badly on his next one and was 0 for 3 in the opening period.

He warmed up for the second half with a large pad attached to his back, but by then it wouldn’t even haved mattered if he played well.

The Celtics quickly scored the first nine points of the game before struggling Landry Fields got the Knicks on the board with a jumper more than 3 minutes in. Pierce later nailed a 3-pointer to start a 10-0 run that made it 22-5 and Boston turned away every New York rally.

Boston finished 14 of 24 (58 percent) from beyond the arc and outrebounded the Knicks 43-33.

NOTES: Shaquille O’Neal sat on Boston’s bench, showing he’s closer to returning from a right calf injury by making the trip to New York. Rivers said O’Neal is working hard but doesn’t know if he’ll be available for Game 4. … Pierce tied Tom Heinsohn for 13th place on Boston’s career list with his 104th playoff game. He will tie K.C. Jones for 12th on Sunday and could move into the top 10 during this postseason.

Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

BOSTON (AP) Amare Stoudemire didn’t play in the second half and Chauncey Billups didn’t play at all, and still the Boston Celtics needed more late heroics from one of their Big 3 to beat the New York Knicks in Game 2 of their first-round series.

“We were lucky to win,” coach Doc Rivers said after Boston overcame Carmelo Anthony’s 42 points in a 96-93 victory on Tuesday night.

Kevin Garnett sank the go-ahead basket with 14 seconds left then stole the ball with 4 seconds remaining as the Knicks gave the Celtics all they could handle in falling into an 0-2 hole in the series.

“I probably (have) never been more proud of a team and how they battled the circumstances,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said, “how hard they played and how tough they played.”

Billups had a strained left knee and his status for Game 3 on Friday night at Madison Square Garden is uncertain. Stoudemire had back spasms but expects to be back when the best-of-seven series resumes.

Rajon Rondo led the Celtics with a career playoff-high 30 points, 14 of them in the first quarter when he kept driving to the basket.

“I tried to attack Game 1,” he said, “It’s just (that) my lanes were getting blocked.”

Anthony matched his career playoff high for points and set a new high with 17 rebounds as the Knicks held a 53-37 advantage on the boards. Toney Douglas had 14 points in place of Billups.

Paul Pierce had 20 points after missing his first five shots, and Ray Allen, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer in Boston’s 87-85 win in the opener, scored 18.

Now the sixth-seeded Knicks, who have tested the third-seeded Celtics, must win at least one of two at home to bring the series back to Boston.

“The Celtics didn’t do anything special,” Anthony said. “They won two games on their home court. Now it’s our turn to go to our home court and try to do the same thing.”

Rivers wasn’t raving about his team’s play, either.

“We didn’t execute very well,” he said. “We played hard. … Hard is great. Hard and smart is much better.”

Garnett hit the decisive jump hook after backing Jared Jeffries into the lane.

“I wasn’t really in a nice rhythm,” said Garnett, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds. “I just remained calm, went to a shot I knew I could make.”

Anthony was the obvious choice to shoot on New York’s final possession. So Pierce and Glen Davis swarmed him when he got the ball just inches from Boston’s bench, forcing him to pass to Jeffries, who tried an interior pass instead of going up with the shot.

D’Antoni said Anthony made the right play.

“He’s the best at closing the game,” D’Antoni said.

In the opener, though, Anthony missed a long 3-point attempt with 2 seconds left.

Garnett said he was simply reacting when he made the steal, as Jeffries hesitated momentarily.

“When I caught it my initial route was there, but I felt like KG was coming and closing down,” Jeffries said. “I should have went ahead and shot the ball.”

The Knicks then fouled Delonte West, who made two free throws with 0.6 seconds to go.

The Knicks had gone ahead 91-88 with 2:35 left when Anthony took a pass beyond the left arc and made a 3-pointer despite being bumped by Pierce. Pierce followed with two free throws, then both teams missed jumpers.

On the next possession, Pierce drove the lane to draw a defender and fed a wide-open Garnett for a dunk that put the Celtics on top 92-91 with 49 seconds to go.

Jeffries followed with a layup, giving New York its last lead at 93-92 with 20 seconds left.

With the score tied at 59, the Celtics went on a 15-4 run led by Pierce’s seven points. Allen and Jeff Green hit 3-pointers during the surge that put Boston on top 74-63 with 45 seconds left in the third quarter.

Then Anthony single-handedly brought the Knicks back by scoring their first seven points of the fourth quarter, while Boston managed only a jumper by Pierce. New York was making a game of it, down only 76-74 with 10:01 to play. At that point, Anthony had scored the Knicks’ previous 13 points and 18 of 20.

After a timeout, Ronny Turiaf tied the game for the Knicks at 76 with a short jumper.

Rondo, threading his way at high speed through New York’s big men, had 14 of Boston’s first 18 points after scoring just 10 in Game 1. He went to the bench for a rest of the quarter with the Celtics ahead 18-11 with 3:59 left. On one play, he sprinted like a wide receiver and hauled in a long pass from Garnett ahead of the field and drove for an easy layup.

The rest of the game was far from easy for Boston, even with New York missing two of its top three players.

“In a tough game like this, coming down the stretch, coming down to the wire, I think it gives (our) guys momentum,” Anthony said.

Notes: The Knicks stumbled through the first quarter until Anthony converted a three-point play, then hit a 3-pointer during a surge that pulled New York to 23-21 at the end of the first period. … Celtics C-F Jermaine O’Neal left late in the first quarter to ice his left wrist, which the Celtics said had a mild sprain. He returned with 7:54 left in the second. … Ronan Tynan sang the national anthem. For years he sang at New York Yankees home games. … Through three quarters, Anthony had made 10 of 22 shots, while the rest of the Knicks were 12 for 47. … Late in the game, Knicks fan Spike Lee was booed as he was shown on the video screen.

Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

The New York Knicks must figure out how to finish off games.

Just watch the Boston Celtics.

The Celtics led for just 60 seconds in the second half until Ray Allen sank a go-ahead 3-pointer with 12 seconds left and beat the Knicks 87-85 in their playoff opener on Sunday night.

“Down the stretch we found a way to win,” Paul Pierce said, “and that was because of our experience.”

The Celtics won their NBA-high 17th championship in 2008 and lost in Game 7 of the finals last year to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Knicks, in the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons, last won a postseason game on Apr. 29, 2001.

“We can compete with them, obviously,” New York coach Mike D’Antoni said. “They made big shots at the end. That’s why they are who they are.”

The Knicks ability to make those clutch shots may have suffered a blow when Chauncey Billups left with 51 seconds remaining with what he said was a strain in his left knee or thigh muscle. He and D’Antoni said they didn’t know his status for Game 2 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series on Tuesday night.

“We’ve got a couple of days and I’ll just be treating it as long as I can,” he said. “If I can get out there and help any, I’ll be out there.”

If he’s not, Toney Douglas likely will start in his place.

On Sunday, it was Douglas who hit a 3-pointer with 39 seconds left that put the Knicks ahead 85-82. But after a timeout, the Celtics scored just one second later on an alley-oop pass from Rajon Rondo – who had 10 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists – to Kevin Garnett.

“We just didn’t communicate real well on that,” D’Antoni said.

New York led 85-84 before Carmelo Anthony was called for an offensive foul for pushing Pierce with 21 seconds remaining.

“What I thought and what they called were two different things,” Anthony said.

Boston coach Doc Rivers disagreed.

“Heck of a call to make,” he said, “but it was the right call.”

Rondo then lined up to inbound the ball but called timeout. The next time, Allen inbounded from just in front of the half-court line on the right side. He threw the ball to Pierce, then circled to the other side of the court, caught Pierce’s pass and fired up the deciding basket.

“We’ve run that play many times,” Allen said. “It’s a play that has so many options and tonight I was just the option.”

Pierce’s pass set it up. His defense also shut down Anthony, who scored just 15 points and missed 10 of 11 shots in the second half, including a 3-pointer with 2 seconds to go. Anthony or Amare Stoudemire usually takes the shot with the game on the line, but Kevin Garnett guarded Stoudemire much tighter in the last few minutes.

“We’ve got to find a way to win down the stretch,” Stoudemire said. “We had a great chance to win. We played well throughout the full 48 minutes. We just didn’t quite close it out.”

New York had the same problem against Boston on Dec. 15, when Pierce hit a jumper with .4 seconds left to put the Celtics ahead 118-116 at Madison Square Garden. Stoudemire then sank a 3-pointer, but it was waved off after officials determined that time had run out.

On Sunday, Stoudemire had 28 points and 11 rebounds for New York.

Allen led the Celtics with 24 points, Pierce added 18 and Garnett had 15 points and 13 rebounds.

Third-seeded Boston got a tough challenge from the sixth-seeded Knicks, who allowed 105.7 points per game during the regular season, third-most in the league.

“I’d like our offense to be better,” Rivers said, “but the only way it will be is with (defensive) stops.”

They didn’t need a stop to set Allen up for the winning basket.

“Ray’s the hero with the shot,” Rivers said. “Paul’s the hero with the pass. That’s a great example of not playing hero basketball, just trusting what we drew up. And he made the shot.”

And, with a chance to win the game, Anthony missed.

“We’re very confident,” he said. “We’re a team that is going to look at this game and build off of it.”

NOTES: During a timeout late in the second quarter, the crowd cheered when New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was shown on the video scoreboard. He laughed and tipped his cap. But when the camera shifted to a spectator wearing a No. 1 Knicks jersey in the row behind him, the fans booed. … The Knicks have lost their last three playoff series since beating the Miami Heat in seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2000. … The Celtics are expected to be without center Shaquille O’Neal for Game 2. He missed the last six regular-season games and the playoff opener with a sore right calf.

Copyright 2011 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

The Boston Celtics defeat the New York Knicks in 4 games to advance to the next round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs.

Game 1 – Boston – 87 defeats New York – 85
Game 2 – Boston – 96 defeats New York – 93
Game 3 – Boston – 113 defeats New York – 96
Game 4 – Boston – 101 defeats New York – 89